Gears of War: Down, But Not Out
by Helljumper206
Summary: A Gear that's fighting in the Hollow, finds out what happens when you take a bunch of Imulsion, a blast from Lightmass bomb, and extremely out of place spell put together does.
1. Chapter 1

Gears of War: Down, But Not Out by Helljumper206

* * *

Hollow Run [Rewrite]

 _Sera, fourteen years after E-Day_

' _Sometimes it makes me wonder_.' **Ra-ta-ta-ta-ta**

' _What would I have become? If not for this war_.' **Ra-ta-ta-ta-ta**

' _Would I have been an artist? Like Uncle Steven did._ ' **Ra-ta-ta-ta-ta**

' _A mechanic and master welder like Uncle Byron?_ ' **'Cleek!' BOOM!**

' _A deadbeat loser like my father_.' **RA-ta-pew-pew-pew' 'clonk' 'slide' 'swish' 'clock** '

' _Or maybe a loving teacher like mom._ ' I thought. Before dashing over a small row of rocks before running around the nearest corridor. Breaking the Locusts line of sight they had on me. When I made my turn, I'd shifted over to the nearest wall and popped up onto one knee all the while doing a sweep across from my ten to two o'clock with my Lancer. Accomplishing it all this in less than three seconds. ' _Uncle William and Grandpa David would be proud_.' Seeing no enemies in front of me, I went back into a double time out of there away from the locust that was behind her. Putting as much distance as she could between myself and them.  
My breath was heavy, and my heart was pounding in my chest. Who wouldn't after running for nearly an hour underground in this wet imulsion stinking hole in the ground? Also with all the ammo for my Lancer, sub pistol and a longshot. Plus I was in my full Onyx combat armor along with some regular COG combat gear that I strap onto it for a personal touch. A little going away present I took after serving just one year in that shit storm of a unit. Out of serving for fourteen years with the COG that one year was the worst. Sure I was all safe away from the front lines, mostly. Received the best training, the best education, the top available equipment and the best set of custom fitted armor the COG can gave me. ' _Hence why I kept it._ ' The food was also the best. Also, the amount of eye candy she saw wasn't bad either. 'Wow, when was the last time I got laid?' a random thought crossed my mind.

No, I couldn't stand about it was being around the GOG's top leaders. Especially ' _Chairman Prescott_ ,' the noble, yet near-dictatorial traitor/leader of COG. If it didn't go his way, he would rant and complain like the spoiled rich kid that he is. In reality, Colonel Hoffman was the only senior officer that could stand up to his bickering and how to act like a proper officer in any current hostile situation. Plus he didn't act like his head was up his ass for the warmth when things went tits up. Not like the others I met over the coming years.

As I ran, a few bullets whistled past by me and embedded into the rock ahead of her, following quickly by the familiar sound of grubby gunfire. Jumping to the nearest cover, I hid from the incoming fire; took a quick peek from my spot, I could see a pair of drones armed with the Locust sinecure weapon, the Hammerbursts. Switching from the Lancer to the longshot, I quickly leveled it up to the nearest drones.

Its head did an excellent demonstration of an exploding watermelon. The other drone seeing his brother getting taken out let out a war cry before recklessly charging the gear. After firing the one shot, I quickly reloaded the longshot to take aim at the next drone only to see it sprinting my way from twenty feet and closing. Its face looked mad and wanted blood. When it got to ten feet away from me, I let loose another round from my longshot letting the round fly. I meant for the bullet to go to the drones head instead it embedded itself just above the drone's sternum, knocking it on its back as its legs flopping up in the air as the streams of blood rushed out of its lower neck. Then again I wasn't looking down her sights when she fired that shot.

My breathing was hard from the quick, one-sided firefight, and with no small amount of adrenaline going through my system. "No scope..." I said under her breath.

A small smile crept up my face. Not hearing any more Locusts coming down the tunnel, I started walking backward for a moment and continue along the underground trail I was on. Switching back to the Lancer, I continued through the never-ending caves that make up the death trap, known as the Hollow. I did not have a clue of where she was going. It was only by bad luck she was down here in the first place?

* * *

 _Sears surface, Thirty miles east of East Barricade Academy, abandon town near the Jacinto Plateau. Two hours earlier_

"APC is busted Lt." called out PFC Smalling.

It was supposed to be two hours of traveling from Jacinto to the mining town, and already they were having problems with the Locusts. The platoon had successfully repelled a Locust force. Just took out a pair of Boomers along with their drone support just a few moments ago. Out of the twenty-five Gears platoon had they lost only two in the fight with one having critical injuries and another five with minor wounds.

"That boom shot round destroyed the rear suspension on this truck sarge. We may still be able to drive it, but it's not going to be getting us back to Jacinto the way it is now." The PFC explained.

"That complicates things, sir." Sargent Simmons said. " With losing one of these we won't have the room to get everyone back to the city, not without having to throw the injured and dead to the side and leaving them here to rot."

"In which were not going to do." Lieutenant Stock said sternly to the Sargent. "Nor are you going to suggest that again, Sergeant ."

"Sir, I have an idea," I said. Stopping the conversation

They both look over at me. Now for you who are reading this can now ask who am I? Well, I'll tell you I'm Sergeant Abigale Terrell, Former special forces now just a regular grunt. Decked out in my old Onyx armor from the time in the guard. It was well worn, like any other ordinary armor that belonged to a veteran of the war. The armor also had some additions to it for protection, with some being personal touches to it, the most notable being the old Retro bayonet on the left side collarbone. "You have something sergeant then let's hear it." The LT asked.

"Not all of us needs to go, sir. It's only about four miles to our objective from here. We can make our way over there on foot while another team takes the wounded in the APC's to the nearby field hospital that we passed by, the one about twenty miles back. By the time you guys drop them off, we would be waiting for you guys at the front of the town." I explained.

The Lt looked thoughtful about the plan for a moment and found it was a sound idea. Plus he and the men needed to stretch their legs from those cramp tin cans.

"Sargent Simmons take your team and the ACP's back with our casualties. Then when you're finished come back out and meet us at the front of the town, we'll wait for you there till you get back. You move in five." The LT ordered.

"Yes, sir." Sargent Simmons said before leaving to direct his men.

"Terrell, you and your squad do an ammo check and prepare to move out."

"You got it, sir," I replied. That said turned to my Gears.

Walking straight over to the men that were providing security over the area. I only had seven guys left my squad of the nine Gears that went out with her. Lucky for me the two guys I lost were just injured and not dead. So I will see them again when we get back.

"Second squad form it up! Team leaders gear and ammo check your guys within the next three mikes were moving out to the objective. We're walking the rest of the way." I ordered/announced.

That got some groans from a few Gears, mainly the fresh boot. "Lock it up." Corporal Lane shouted out loud to the tiny heart soldiers. Giving them a moment to silence them all out I continued my orders for them to stock up on any additional arms and ammo they need before moving. They all took turns going to the ACPs for what they needed before they were ready. When they finished, the LT came over and was ready to go. With that first squad and the two working APC's left. Second, left and moved on with their LT in tow towards their adjective. The town of Larkstin, a mining town from back in the Pendulum Wars, the briefing I got said they mined mainly iron and cobalt for a nearly thirty years. Town itself wasn't very significant due to how abundant iron and other metals that were in the COG territories, so it wasn't big in the industry but had a decent investment that kept the town going. There was also a report for bringing in an Imulsion refinery here from some records of the stuff turning up. Till about four years ago when the locust threat got to close the town. Most left with the COG mainly women and children, while some stayed and became stranded. The last report control has on this place was from seven months ago from the previous patrol that went there. They found the stranded dead and no sign of Locust while they were there.

After an hour of marching and no locust to be seen they reached the mining town front with no problems arising. I didn't like it. One of the things Uncle William told her is that 'the silence of battle is both a blessing and a curse.' When your being razed to fight dirty by an old Gear in a time of war you to tend to get paranoid about some things. Especially for an enemy that has a habit of popping up from the ground. The town's front entrance was quiet, with the permission from the LT I split up the squad to occupy the first two building on opposite sides of the street that was at the entrance of the town. The first house I cleared was quick and bloodless. No hostiles of any kind to discover. After securing the house, we soon heard the sound of Lancers going off in other building that the LT's team was going through followed by the sound of multiple small explosions.

Placing a finger on my radio, I quickly called them up. "LT you guys alright? Heard some noise from your direction."

After a quick moment, her LT replied back. "One of the rooms had a few Tickers inside, no casualties over here. You set over there?"

"In position now. We've got good overwatch of the road leading into town and to the northwest and east of my position. If something comes from the town, we'll see it coming."

"Good. Simmons should be back with the APCs soon, hold your position till he gets here."

"Roger."

After about five minutes of waiting, I felt tremor through the floor and started rocking the house. "Does anyone else feeling this?" One Gear asked. "Yea and I don't like it." said another before reading his weapon. Keying in her radio, I went to call it in.

"LT are you feeling these seismic shifts?"

"I'm feeling them too sergeant, be ready for anything if this isn't a natural quake," LT ordered.

That's all I needed to hear, taking to the nearest window and leveling the Lancer down the street. The tremors lasted a few more seconds before stopping altogether. Right before the unexplainable happened to them, the ground collapsed beneath them along with part of the house I was in.

Everything was happening so fast from my whole point of view as the two-story window crumbled. The building then split apart. I could only watch as I fell along with everything else down to the ground. But didn't stop on the ground. I continued to decline deep underground bouncing off of the rock wall's as I went till darkness enveloped my eyes.

I came to quickly when the nose from my radio snapped her out of her stupor. The pain was the next thing that woke me from my stupor. I really did feel like shit, to put it bluntly, must have landed on my back wrong from the way it felt. From the lights from her FFL on her armor she could, she crash-landed hard on her back. Taking note of her surroundings, it looked like she was underground. Sections of the building and the large sections of rock meant she got caught in a sinkhole. Terrific. From my HUD in her helmet, she still had her Lancer and Snub pistol but lost the Gnasher shotgun in the fall.

Putting everything in perspective, I placed a finger on my headset and tried to radio topside, "Lieutenant Stock? This is Sargent Terrell are you receiving me?"

* **Static** *

"LT are you there?"

* **Static** *

"That ant good."

Sitting up I saw that I took a look around from her spot; I quickly spot my shotgun by my side. Only it was as useful as a club, the barrel was bent out of shape, and saw I wasn't alone down here either. A few feet away I caught sight of a pair of COG issue boots sticking out. Getting on my feet, I walked over to the downed Gear. Hoping that I wouldn't be down here alone by myself was crushed as fast as I saw the Gears head. His head was mashed under the big rock that held him down; not even his helmet protected him in the end. Reaching down, I relieved him of his COG tags which said PVT A. SMITH, along with his one grenade and ammo. I also took his undamaged longshot rifle that was by his side and placed it in the second magnetic holster on my back. I also relieved him of his extra Lancer fuel for the chainsaw bayonet, ammo, and the batteries from his combat armors FFL system, sure these things last for a long time but with the way the war is going its better to have them for later on when she couldn't get any more. To me, Smith was new to her team, one of the fresh boots that she got not even a week ago. Didn't even know much about the guy other then I was told he was the best shot in his training company. Proved it too with him taking out one of the Boomers that attack earlier with a headshot along with killing five other drones with his longshot of his that now rested on her back. All that from his first engagement with the grubs. The kid showed some talent there; now it's wasted.

With scavenging from the dead done, I said a quiet word for the fallen Gear before moving over to the hole that was nearby. Looking through the hole, I can see there was maybe a ten-foot drop, jumping down and landing on soft soil. I spot some glowing fungi spared along the walls illuminating the cave I traveled. I needed to get back above ground to let my squad know I was alive or at the very least get within com range.

" _Ground Walker_!" said a loud raspy voice.

Turing to the voice with my Lancer leveled, I saw a large patrol of seven drones with a fat Grinder headed towards me. Lining up a shot on the nearest drone, I began to let lose several streams of rounds that killed it instantly. With the sight of there, now dead comrade the drones let loose their streams of fire. Taking cover, they missed her and hit the rocks around. Seeing me, their pray down behind cover must have got under their skin. I then hear one of them grow bold and charge right at me. Regarding the one Drone assaulting me made the others cease there fire as the one got in closer. Looking out I spot the one coming after her she started up her Lancer bayonet. The Drone got in close and went with jumping over her cover hoping to push me to the ground. Only to be met haft way over with a row of my spinning chainsaw blades to is right leg. Its body flips over me and lands in a bloody mess. Raising the Lancer again, I proceeded to finish it off with its chainsaw slice across its back.

Seeing the lonely human kill two of their comrades sent the rest to mad frenzy throwing more fire to the lone human.

Seeing herself outnumber and outgun from the forces in front of me, I needed to get out of there and fast. Like my Uncle once told her, ' _There ant no shame in running from a fight that you can't win. Dying to win ant no victory and running to live ant no loss_.'

Looking back to her surroundings I counted three ways out; the way she came in, the way the Locust came in and a ramp that looked like it led straight down. With the way I came from being a dead end and the way the grubs came from isn't an option, door number three it was. Taking one of her grenades, I ran through the open cave and plants it around the corner out of the grubs sight. I couldn't take them all on by myself, so she I to cut them down to size.

With that thought, another thing she remembers her uncle taught her came to mind. ' _If you're at a disadvantage and fighting on the enemies high point, pull back and bait the enemy. Make them come to you and make them pay for every inch that comes with it._ '

* * *

 _Now_

And that's what I did for the last hour. With all the noise me and the grubs been making down here, another grub patrol came and supported the first. Now here I stand with me leaving behind a literal trail of dead bodies behind. "That was for Smith you shit for worms." I declared. Seeing ahead of me was a fork in the cave, I decided to take a right passage and which came to a sad site.

A dead end with five dead Gears with it. They have been here for awhile according to the site of the dried blood that pooled on the ground. From the way the skin looked on the one guy that didn't have his helmet on, they have been here for a few years. The air here was dry and hot which mummified the corpses to look the way they do now. ' _Maybe these guys were some scouting party that ended up here for some unknown reason._ ' If I didn't have my helmet filters on, I would have been gagging from the stench. Before I doubled back the way I came from, I filled up my pockets with their spare ammo; also pockets their COG tags and saying another quick word before leaving to try finding another path up top. I was once again, fully loaded with ammo for all my weapons and carried an additional three smoke grenades and one frag grenade.

Turning the corner, I began to see spots of a yellow glow in the distance of the tunnel I was in, causing me to quicken her pace. Making my way over to the light hoping that it was the sun. My hopes went up I saw that glow of light grew the closer I got. I then met with not the sight of fresh air and blue sky I wanted to see, but of a large cavern below that was a sight to behold. Maybe forty feet below me was perhaps the largest lake of money I'd ever seen. Below me with a bright yellow glow of Imulsion right there. There was so much of the stinking liquid gold right there to support the COG's current military for years. The Mining towns brief did say there were traces of Imulsion in the area and equipment was about to be sent here for a refinery. If the COG knew about this place here, they wouldn't have left so fast, and the town might still have been occupied for a bit longer.

The amount of Imulsion that was there was an eyesore. It was seeping in through the cracks in the walls. Lots of future money investment here if we ever pull through this war.

Before taking in more of the sight a massive tremor rocked the cavern I was in being close to the edge, I nearly lost my footing and took a swim. Forcing myself down on one knee I looked around at what was happening. The whole place was shaking itself apart. Just then my radio went off, and some male voice talk over with a bunch of static over but two words was clear enough that I could hear clearly over the noise.

Hollow and Lightmass.

'Not Good.'

With the transmission finished, the tunnel I came from caved in from some trimmers. Now trapped, I couldn't see another way out. The situation just went from bad to worse as the platform started shaking violently before finally giving way under me, throwing me off balance and into free fall towards the Imulsion below.

Imulsion is a thick substance to swim in, and with me being waited down from my weapons and armor the odds were not in my favor, and I was most certainly going to die.

' _Die? What a common word nowadays_ ' I pondered.

At that moment my mind slowed down to a near standstill as all around me. Rock and stone fell around me, and a clarity washed over myself as she could make out every detail around her. Below me was the pale yellow glow of Imulsion waiting for her to drown and die in. Above me, was a bright blinding white light that slowly inched its way towards her. That must be the Lightmass bomb's energy blast wave. ' _It's so pretty._ ' I thought in wonder.

' _Is this my fate? To drown in a lake of Imulsion while being simultaneously vaporized by a Lightmass bomb? Talk about a way to go out with a bang._ '

I never thought this was a way things ended for me, going out like this. I had hoped to see the end of this war. Find a place to settle down and start a family. Guess it was time to fold her cards and antie up her portion of the pot then. I then took note time was slowly beginning to speed up for her which meant her time was up. The Lightmass wave was now just in front of her at the moment she splashes into the warm fuel many have died in the past for. With that, she let out one last thought.

' _I'll see you soon mom._ '

When the Lightmass energy met the fuel, something happened in that one moment to that doomed gear. Something spontaneous.

* * *

Equestria, Ponyville's Castle of Friendship

In the castles map room a were seven friends, six ponies and one dragon all sat observing a strange black and blue armored human fighting monster, fight a bunch of glowing water before plummet to her death was cut short with a flash of light blinded them. When they looked back the spell that allowed them to view other worlds was gone. But there on the map was a black and blue armored pony. Just then a light purple pony with a dark purple and teal mane walks in with a look of alarm on her face.

"What did you guys do?!" Starlight said looking at the armored pony.


	2. Chapter 2

_Equestria, Castle of Friendship Ponyville_

 _Starlight Glimmer POV_

I didn't know what to think right now. I was about to go pack with Trixie for their journey to my old village when she heard a big commotion coming from the cutie map room. When I opened the doors to Twilight's map room, my eyes were on Twilight and her five friends and one baby dragon sitting in their chairs. Then to the black and blue armor pony with a cherry blond tail sticking out that was lying facedown on the map table.

"What did you guys do?!" I shouted at them while looking at the armored pony. I thought it was a changeling at first with all the black and its big blue bold eyes, but another look at it revealed it was just a pony wearing heavy armor and a unicorn too from the way the helmet was anything with its shape.

The looks I received from everyone's else was just told her they too stunned by this, if not as dumbstruck as she was. Some looked scared, worried or a little scared.

"Twilight, what happened?!" I shouted again.

Twilight looked over at me then back at the armored pony in front of them. I also noticed Twilight's worried look she had. Her worried look was also on the six other occupants in the room.

"I was just trying out a spell that was similar to the one used on the magic mirror. You know the one in my lab that takes me to that parallel Equestria. Only this one allows others to see other realities. Not travel to and from them or this?!" Twilight pointed at the armored figure." I was planning on surprising you for when you get back from your trip, so I wanted to test it and put on demonstrations for everypony before showing you." Twilight explained. "But something happened that just now increased the power of my spell and caused this person from its reality to travel through to our reality. What it was I do not know, but now we have a new problem on our hooves."

Just then Pinkie Pie giggled "Silly filly it's on our map not on our hooves. " Said the party mare. Suddenly Pinky Pie let out a loud gasp. "Oh my goodness, I get to plan for a welcome to Ponyville party, a Welcome to Equestria part AND a welcome to our reality party all at the same time!" She shouted out loud, followed by a rant of happy squealing. "I never get to host parties like as often as I get! OH this going to be so fun!"

Everypony was looking at pink pony with confusion before just righting it off as just Pinkie Pie.

"'grown' I didn't know afterlife involved so much pain and shouting to get in, but you had me at a party whoever you are?" Said an unknown female voice.

Collectively as one all of the elements and company turn their attention to the armor being on the table. Lazily throwing an armored hoof to the side of its side and rolling onto its back.

* * *

 _Abigail's POV_

Opening up my eyes, I was met with the most beautiful crystals hanging from what looked like tree roots forming out of the ceiling into the most amazing light fixture gear had ever I've seen some beautiful pieces of artwork when pulling guard duty for high nobles and council members.

"Wow... That's a very pretty chandelier." I said while examining the ceiling.

"Well at least she has a good sense room décor, unlike her choice in 'bizarre' fashion," said an unknown voice.

'Who was that?'

"My choice of-?! Oh hell no! What never seen a G-" That was all I could let out before my brain paused at the sight in front of me. I was about to call out the ' _who_ ,' who insult of my armor. As being one of the very few who still wears them openly without giving a flying fuck what the higher-ups say to her about it. As such I've always been self-conscious about it. Now to the ' _what_ ' I was talking to that insulted my armor is what made me go derp.

Right in front of me was a creature that I have never thought I'd see in my life. It reminded me of some farm animals, houres I think they were called, only smaller. But its coat was pure white without a smudge of dirt on it and had a purple curly hair over its head. And the eye's; they're huge for something its size. As my mind started to reboot slowly, I didn't know what to think. 'Do I shoot it because of it's not being human or hug it for how super cute it looks, and is that a horn?!' I thought. It looks like something every little girl would want for their fourth birthday.

I then hear someone close by cleared their throat, snapping me out of my stupor, I began to take notice of my surroundings. I was in the was totally surrounded by more of the same type of creatures but in all of the colors of the rainbow. Hell one did have a rainbow on its head. I was also on some shiny crystal table in the brightest and crystallized like room in existence.  
It took every ounce of mental strength not to freak out. If it were Locust, I wouldn't hesitate in shooting them. But these things didn't look like anything like those ugly worms and weren't trying to kill me '[i]yet[/i].' I added. Hell, the pink one next to one with the curly purple head was giving me a friendly and unusably large smile as it waved with one of its limbs.

I found its face to be very expensive, and human-like. The look in its eyes was something I hadn't seen in a long while, innocence.

Not wanting to feel rude to the friendly pink horse creature I decided not to be rude. '[i]Hey, I'm dead, why the hell not?[/i]' Lifting my arm to greet the cut furry being my mind quickly goes blank again when I get a look at my hand or lack of the said hand.

I could only stare at the limb. Where an armored hand should be, was something that wasn't possible. What held in front of me was an armor stump with a thin rubber bottom not unlike the soles of my boots. Under normal circumstances, I would've panicked. Luckily for me, this wasn't anything but normal. As such, I did the only sensible.

"HHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA MY HAND'S GONE!" I screamed/panicked/shouted.

My panic caused me to fall back and off the table landing herself between a butterscotch colored one and the rainbow head one. Tumbling head over backward made me do an epic face plant on the floor, which was also made of crystal. My head was the first thing first thing that made hard contact, followed by my helmet popping off and rolling away.

I could hear the little horse creatures rushing around me, whether to surround me and attack me while I'm down or just wanting to keep an eye on me, I don't know. I then hear them gasp in surprise at something they saw. Feeling my helmet had fallen off to reveal my face was probably what it is I guess. But I didn't care my hand is suddenly gone, I have no idea what's going on, and now my face hurts. Pulling my face off the ground, I found the floor to be very clean. I rare commodity nowadays, and it was so clean I could make out my... what?

Right under me where my reflection was supposed to be was gone. No more was there a Gear in full battle dress Onyx armor. No more was they're a pale face with short dirty cherry blond hair. In it's sted was a peach coated horse with a short choppy cherry blond mane.

The fall had knocked me out of my little panic attack only to be put in stun silence at what reflected below her. Right there looking back at her was another one of the creatures. Just this one was staring right back at her in what she assumed to be what seemed like the onyx guard armor made for them. Its face was covered in little peach furry coat narrow with a muzzle in the middle. It's big ears that were slightly concealed behind its messy cherry blonde hair. Then there was the unnaturally large emerald eye's it has above its muzzle with a spiral horn on its forehead.

"What am I?" I said out loud as I look into the dark emerald eyes staring back right at her. Same color as her and her mother.

"Um, excuse me?" A young female voice said.

Looking up I saw that I was at the at the center of attention of all the strange creatures.

"Are you alright?" Said one of the creatures.

My eye's focused on the lavender one with the horn and wings. She had a dark blue hair on her head with a pink stripe going her hair. "Please don't panic, you're safe, and nothing is going to harm you. Girls give her some space." She ordered the rest that was gathering around me, although a bit more slowly with the rainbow head and the blond cowboy hat wearing creatures. As they seem a little more cautious about me, they slowly backed away, giving me some much-needed space for which I was thankful and now got a good look at all of them. They stood on all fours, and they all either had wings, horns or neither of them. I then looked at each of them as they sat there looking at me and I them.

The lavender one must be the leader by the looks of things. She was slightly bigger than the rest of them but not by much. Also maybe having both a horn and wings gave her more important feel above the others. That and an aura that spoke of leadership. Kind of reminding me of a young lieutenant that works on the logistical side of things.

There were two more of them that had just horns on their heads. One was the white one with long curly hair that I saw first, and the other was light purple with a darker shade hair on top with a teal color stripe in it.

There was also two that didn't have the wings or the horns. One looked like I could be related to it in colors department with its orange fur, blond hair with same green eyes like mine. It also had brown stinson on its head, similar to the one uncle would use to wear when he was off duty, only his was black. The other one was pink with pink and more pink. It had a big goofy smile on and looked like it wanted to say something if the look she was giving me with those big baby blue eyes it had told me anything.

Then there was the two with wings. A butterscotch yellow one with a long pink hair was taking cover behind a crystal chair with a fearful look. The other one was demonstrating that their wings weren't just for show, and was hovering a few feet above the others with a control of a King Raven pilot would have. Its coat was the color of the sky but that hair and tail, holy shit they got tails too! '[i]Do I have a tail?[/i]' I wondered.

Taking my eyes off the group in front of me for a moment to look at my behind for a check. Also happy to see that my Lancer and Longshot were still attached to the magnetic holsters and the sub pistol on my hip holster. Looking down more past my weapons low and behold there for all to see was a cherry blond tail sticking out of my butt.

"Holy shit, I got a tail too..." Looking back at the group in front of me, the need for questions to be answered needed to be quick became more time looking. I have even more questions would pop into my head to the point I'll go nuts. And I was going to get them one way or another. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and exhaled. Then repeated the notion till I was calm enough said to the point I can talk with my voice won't do anything funny. When that was done, I opened my eyes to see I was still in color horse land. 'Well got to get some answerers and sitting here isn't going to do anything.'

"Ok, I'm going to ask some questions, and I better get some fucking answers, understand." They all visibly recoiled from my swearing but also for getting my point across at how serious I was. Receiving nods from all of them. One looked like she wanted to speak but I was short on time and quickly asked the first question.

"Alright, let's get the fundamental questions down first before my head goes's further down the rabbit hole. Who and what are you?"

The Lavender one with the horn and wings came forward to introduce them. "H-hello, my name Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and barrier of the element of magic also we are called ponies. I'm an Alicorn pony" she said with a smile.

' _OH. WOW_.' Was all the I could think about what I just heard, it took all my strength, not to crack a smile or laugh at how ridicules her name, and tides were. Also ' _ponies_ '? _'Magic_!? Am I actually talking to intelligent horses? I didn't know what to think about that. Whatever the end result of this, I feel like I'm going to need one hell of a stiff drink after this. Then again it was a lot better than the Locust. With 'Twilight's' name introduced she went to introduce the next pony, the orange one with the hat.

"This pony here is Applejack; she is an earth pony." The ' _Applejack_ ' pony gave her a friendly tip of her towards my direction. To which she returned in kind. ' _Never met a bad person who wears a Stenson so she can't be bad._ ' Thinking about a particular stinson wearing rigger that I met a month ago along with my uncle.

Twilight then went next from the cowpony to the pink one that was giving me a friendly wave earlier. She was also vibrating; I didn't know what to think about that, and a feeling told her it was probably normal. So she let it go for now. "This is Pinkie Pie; she is also an earth pony. Expect to have a welcome party later from her." I felt my eyebrow twitch at party part. Well, I hoped she has booze and ice cream here. Hopefully strawberry ice cream.

The princess then went over to the next 'pony' over, the one still hiding behind her was the butterscotch pony with wings. She was visibly shaking and trying to make herself as small as possible. She was only looking at me with her one baby blue eye while the other hid behind her hair. "This shy pony over here is Fluttershy. She and Rainbow Dash-" she said while pointing to the one that was flying over them."- are Pegasus." Fluttershy gave a small wave her way, and then rainbow head pony gave me a look like she wanted to fight. Something that may be a problem later on, but I didn't care cause now they said a word that sent me over the edge. Pegasus? Really? Ok, this shit just got weird. I may not be well versed with animals, but that didn't mean didn't recognize a mythical creature.

Twilight then proceeded to the other two horn heads in the room. The royal purple hair with a white coat and light blue eyes and the purple and teal stripe-haired one with a light purple coat and bright blue eyes. Both with horns on their heads that matched in the color of their light fur coats. "These are my friends Rarity and Starlight Glimmer. They are unicorns."

' _By the Allfathers of old. It's like I went to the world that was designed by a kid!_ ' I mentally screamed but kept my face from showing much emotion, but these things were staring at me and my armor with different views of expressions, and I could slowly feel my sweat start to go down my head from it all. Then a new thought came my head in a littoral sense as I looked up at my new appendage on my head. ' _I'm a fucking unicorn... Really?_ '

When Twilight finished introducing the two unicorns, another creature came up behind her. It reminded me of a lizard person from some old comics to best describe it as it walked forward towards me, it also had something in its claws. It stood on two legs that sported three long toes on each foot. Shiny purple scales covered the thing from head to toe. It had sharp silted green eyes and had fin-like spiked move in a mohawk fashion across its head. Its arms looked a little small to its pongee body, and in its four claw hands was holding a familiar black helmet.

"And this little guy is Spike, he is my number one assistant, and he's also a dragon," Twilight said.

' _Really... Dragons. Sure why not, they got Pegasus, unicorns why not add dragons to the mix. Next week it will be flying bears with bug wings_.' The little guy walked up to me carrying with him with what looked like her onyx helmet. If slight modification I noticed on the front to cover her horn was to be considered, but that's for a later debated. He had a small smile on his face and, was he blushing? "Um... H-hi there." The little guy said in a little boys voice. "You ah, dropped this when you fell. It's a really cool looking by the way. Are you some kind of superhero where your from by any chance?" He nicely asked me, which gave a round of suppressed giggles from the ponies around her and an eye roll from the Princess.

I didn't know why but I so wanted to cuddle with this kid and his cute little voice. He had a speech pattern that had a hint of high society in it, but the genuine cutie kind. That one would want to take home and snuggle too. I gave him a small smile in return, as I tried to grab the helmet with my new limbs. A small teasing thought came to mind that made me smile at the little ' _dragon_ ' that I was willing to try. If for the sake of smoothing things alone if I can help it.

"Why thank you, Sir. Spike. You sure are the gentlemen type, and if this is how you act to all the pretty faces, you come across then ladies must love you." I said in a thankful yet playful tone. With a hint teasing in it. The results were better then I could hope for in this situation. After recovering my helmet, Spikes face went beat red from embarrassment with a shy sheepish smile, and all the girls present giggled at his expense. That didn't do the dragon any favors as it made him look more embarrassed. With the mood lighten successfully, whatever tension the naturally born ponies felt earlier was lessened from the humor the armored figure.

With the mood lighten up ' _Rarity_ ' took a step forward up to her. "Excuse me, darling, now that we told you our names may we have the honor of knowing yours?" She asked in a high-class voice. It reminded me of some of the stuck up nobles I had to do protection detail when I was serving in the Onyx guard. The main reason why she not in the onyx forces anymore.' Well, they at least they should put a name to face if nothing else.' I mentally agreed.

Setting the black helmet down, I straightened my posture for a more professional look before getting into my intro.

"My name is Sargent Abigail Terrell. I am a former Onyx Guard and an active duty Gear of the Coalition of Ordered Governments army."

They all stood there wide eye. They looked at me carefully when I said she was a guard.

"So you are Royal guard of your country?" Twilight asked her eyes were sparkling at her with some interest. But when she mentioned about me being a 'royal' guard, I finally broke and laughed. The action sent a few of them into confusion, so she had to explain. "I guess you could say that, but I've never heard of the Onyx guard referred to like that. No, the Onyx Guard is an elite special operations unit of the Coalition of Ordered Governments army. We operated under the command of only the top brass and the chairman. Sure we do some guard details for officials, but we also are also the elite of the COG military and do all the messy work. I use to be with them before going back to being a regular front line soldier. One reason being that I didn't like it is because of the attitude of most of the high-class civilians that I had to put up with, they weren't enjoyable to be around most days."

"Oh say no more darling. I've been there, and they're not as glamorous as most ponies believe it to be." Rarity replied. "I have the unfortunate 'privilege' of meeting a few like that."

"I'll take your word for it," I said, getting the feeling that the unicorn was speaking some truth.

"Ok, next question. Am I dead?" I asked. Getting sadden and shock looks from all of them. The defector leader was the next to speak. "No, your not dead and this isn't the ever after either."

"Where am I?" She asked. Her question got a lot of uncertain looks from the group.

"This is Equestria; you are currently in my home of Ponyville. So..." Twilight then walks up and holds out a leg to the gear. "Welcome to Equestria, Sargent Abigail Terrell."

She didn't know what it was yet, but I felt like she might be in for a wild ride. One that I would need more than a few stiff drinks and a bottle of painkillers to quell the pain in her head at the end.

Equestria, populated by ponies, dragons, and other things. Well, as long as there aren't any Grubs nearby.


	3. Chapter 3

_Equestria, Castle of Friendship Ponyville_

 _Abigail POV_

' _Well, that was interesting_ ' I thought as she sat on a bed with both of my weapons resting by her side. That was the first thing that went through my mind after finally getting some time to reflect on what had happened to me. This morning she went on another routine mission like any other she done. Then was fighting for my life with the grubs home turf only to get nearly killed by a Lightmass bomb nearly. But then at the last moment before being turned to dust, I'm in a new dimension, a place where there is little to no major conflicts in this places everyday life. Something that the I hadn't experienced in my life since before E-day when the Pendulum Wars had just come to an end. Plus I'm now transformed ' _magically_ ' I might add, into a local, and a mythical creature by her own people's standards.

Also, that's the other thing, the 'pony' locals here also wield a new power they call ' _magic_ '...

 _'If there were ever a time when I can say I've been 'over the rainbow,' this is it._ '

I then spent the last hour getting asked questions about basic and non-classified stuff to this ' _Princess_ ' Twilight Sparkle. I also sent a few back when she could. I didn't tell them any classified stuff, luckily she and the rest didn't ask me any of that. All they ask was a lot of basic fundamental questions that were about herself or common knowledge, so things went pretty smoothly for the most part. As for my own questions. Apparently, there's this strange 'magic' here Twilight found recently that allowed her and others to view other realities. Twilight explained that there was a parallel reality that mirrored the one their in now that she was trying to see into with having to go there. Only to look at she ended up looking at my reality instead. All of it confused me, but I had to keep an open mind of things. Where I was again and what happened to me today was a good reminder of such. Twilight explained that they saw me fight with some monsters in a cave as well as what I did with the dead Gears and falling into a lake of gold. They asked me why were they after me and why did I kill them.

They asked a simple question, so I gave them a simple answer, ' _War._ ' I answered. Then I told them about the locust and the war of extinction that they put on humanity. Also told them what Imulsion is. When I was done explaining the war, they all had different degrees of shock and horror looks on them. Pinkie and Rarity looked like they were about to cry. Fluttershy was crying and hiding behind her big pink tail. Twilight, Starlight, and Spike had various degrees of horror. Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked like they were about to beat up someone. They asked why the Locust would do such a thing and why we didn't ask for peace and be friends? The ponies and dragon were all taken back when I started laughing at the ridiculous notion before answering them.

I told them that none of her fellow Gears would want be with friends with beings that destroy homes and kill whole families without so much as a twitch of remorse, but with mad laughter and glee. That stopped any further questions on that topic. I saw how innocent they all were. Not one of them had seen death, or much or if any fatality. I decided to offer them with any other questions that weren't war-related or at the very least a better topic to talk about.

Tensions and moods were then slightly softened for the change in conversion they all asked a few questions to her on varies things. Twilight wanted to know more about the COG and their form of government, pretty dull subject in which some of the others agreeing with me there. Fluttershy wanted to know what animals were like were. Saying that she was upset about what the swarm of Krell did to most of the animal populations in my world was the understatement of the decade. Even her friends looked taken back at the look of rage she exhibited. Applejack wasn't happy about the animals either and asked how do the COG get their food with the situation therein. An examination of dread slowly showed on her face when she heard of the lack of farms the COG had left, and everyone was on ration food to conserve what they had left and forced to endure. Rainbow Dash wanted to know about the Onyx guard and to hear if they were awesome or not. That got me giggling from that memory and told her about how they were the best of the best of the COG military and recounted a few operations she participated. Rainbow and Spike were as amazed as a couple of kids lessening to a bedtime story. Rarity wanted to know more about the armor she was currently wearing, particularly about the blue lights that came off it. Finally, all Pinkie Pie wanted to know was what is the Gears favorite food?

Which were strawberries? When I'd said that the pink pony zoomed out of the door at hipper fast speeds that would make anyone's head spin, only to return the moment the door closed with of bowl of strawberry ice cream balanced on her back.

Looking back at the others they all looked at their pink friend with a smile on their faces, in short, this must be normal for them, so I let it slide. Must be a form of magic she can do if that's the case. So instead to just focus on the ice cream that was placed in my ha-limbs, hooves whatever.

I looked over at the lightish red dairy substance questionably for a moment before she decided to give it a benefit of a dough. A childish furthered my urge told me just to dunk her face into the bowl. I gave it gave an experimental lick. Everyone else it was just plain ice cream, to me it was as if sweetie goodness was bombarding her taste buds for I haven't had in 'sooo' many years. It had taken me a good two seconds of resistance before nose-dived into the stuff covering my nose in the process. I didn't care if my mouth froze over from creamy goodness. The way it swooshed around her tongue was like a dream to the soldier. I then became aware of the others around me were giggling at my eating habits. Except for the one called Rarity, she had a disapproving look on her face for the Gears table manners.

After that little childish display I displayed, I asked if I could have a moment to myself. They all agreed to my request and gave a bedroom think about what to do now? That was an hour ago. Apparently, I ended up in a castle made of entirely out of crystal. I couldn't even think of how much it would cost to build something of this scope, along with the how the hell could they pull something like this off with hooves. Say what you want about these ponies, they must be master builders in a whole league by themselves compared to humanity.

I had to relearn how to walk as well, took a few stumbles to the room the princess gave me, going from two legs to four is not a smooth transaction. In a way, it felt like I was crawling on my knees and elbows rather than walking on her feet and hands, the feeling was foreign at first but got the hang of it.

The room the pony princess gave me was a pretty simple room with the appliances of a typical bedroom. A bed, desk, chair, a walk-in closet, a dresser and a nightstand with a small clock on top. There was also a window that positioned over the bed for someone to look out. I then went and sat on my new bunk, and looked outside for the first time in this new world.

What I saw was something out of a picture book. In front of me was a country town, with several farms surrounding it. The town had dirt roads instead of pavement or asphalt. The building's themselves, made with wood with roofs of thatch. It wasn't uncommon to see those back in her world if you go out into the countryside. Not so much when you go into towns like the one I was seeing. The roads were in use by the locals going about their day. All with smiles on there faces without a care in the world. The sight to me was a rare commodity in the COG territories, with the threat of death right under your feet constantly. Never knowing when or where an emergence hole would open up and the Locust could come up and attack you. Seeing this sight is what they struggle to have once more. For every day we fought the enemies we have today, and what I see in front of me, the sight of this town is what they were struggling to achieve once more.

My thoughts then went back to my squad that I left the mining town, they would most likely think I'm probably dead to them by now. There was also the thought of what to do next? No amount of training or combat could have prepared me for turning into a four-legged herbivore. That's another thing that's worth thinking over. 'Do they outlaw stake here? What about bacon?!' That thought horrified me. I then was thankfully saved when a knock on my bedroom door rescued me from that nightmarish image.

"Come in," I called out.

The door opened to reveal the light purple unicorn of Starlight. "Hey there."

"Hey, coming to check up on me?"

"Yea wanted to see how you are doing. Being forced into another world like this must be crazy for you." She said. Starlight walked over to the only chair in the room and dragged it towards my bed before leaping onto it. "How do you feel about all of this?"

"What just happened?" I asked in a quick tone at Starlight.

"What, what did what?" the mare asked, looking confused by the question posed.

"That... How did you move that chair like that without even touching it?"

"Oh, that's just simple levitation spell. You know magic." She said in a happy, informative tone.

"That's what magic is? I imagined it to be more flashy than that." I was now feeling slightly disappointed.

"That's foul's play compare to everything else I can do." Starlight said proudly. "I have a great talent for magic and couldn't imagine my life without it. My cutie mark even shows I'm good at magic." I looked at her with a raised eyebrow and wondering if she lost a marble or two.

"What the hell is a cutie mark?"

"Oh, you humans must call them something else." She said before turning around and showing off her ass to me. There it showed two four-pointed stars overlapping each other in two different colors with a two-tone teal with a blue spiral pattern below it. "Everypony has them."

"... Wow, how could I missed that?" ' _How did I?_ ' Scratching my head, I try looking remember the last two hours after seeing that all the other ponies. "Also no humans don't have cutie marks." But couldn't help but look at my rear end, do I have one of those?

"... Well since your not a human anymore, wanna see if you have one? We just got get you out of that armor." Starlight said with interest like she was reading my thoughts on the matter. Wondering what beings from other realities marks could be in this new world. Another thought came to mind again before looking at Starlight with a raised eyebrow and a seductive smirk.

"Wow, ant you the direct type. Presenting your rear to me one moment and then wanting to help undress me all in the same conversion after we just met today only hours ago? At last, ask me to dinner before asking to take me to bed, naughty girl." I said in a suggestive tone.

Her face probably went from light purple to dark red in no time flat. My ears folded back against my head and her eye went wide. The site of that made me laugh so loud it echo in the room. I just couldn't help it; it was too easy, I had to lay it on with my guest a little bit. I stopped laughing at the poor girl when it laughing started to hurt. "Sorry about that, hehe, you opened yourself up to that one and just couldn't resist opportunity you gave me. Haha. Anyway, you are going to have to help me with this a little." I said before getting off the bed to Starlight's side. "Since I lack hands and I can't use that fancy magic, you are going to have to undo the straps on the sides. Cuss I too would like to see what I'm packing underneath."

* * *

 _Starlights POV_

I had never felt so humiliated like that before. I had never encountered a pony that would act in such a way. To lure me in such a position was just... I don't even know. I faint my cheeks heat up from the scenario that Abigail had just described to her, and it was just plain lewd to her.

"So are you going just to stand there looking at the floor for the answer to life and the universe or are you going to help me with this?" Abigail's voice said aloud, breaking me out of my thoughts.

Abigail told me of which straps and locks that too needed to unfastened first. First was a switch to turn off the glowing light on her chest plate. Followed by removing the arm guards and shoulder pads. Then finally I levitated off the chest piece and belt with a bunch of pockets filled with shining fragments of metal. All that remained was her onyx skin tight suit and the armored boots on her back legs. From the skin-tight outfit she wore, I could tell that her body was more built than mine. If Abigail didn't have her horn, she could be easily mistaken for earth pony like Applejack. With my magic, the boots and rubber under armor came off revealing the mare under it. With the last of the under suit off, I got a good look at the mare under the armor and wasn't disappointed in what I saw.

I was right about her built. Abigail had the body that that was fit for an earth pony instead of a unicorn. Her sturdy barrel ran with those toned yet curvy flanks nicely, she could and would turn many stallions heads along with a few mares with just that body alone given a chance. I soon felt my cheeks heat up again as I take in more of the soldier in front of me. The peach cream coat was short and unkempt like she had washed it in a long time. Her red cherry blond tail and mane was a little bit longer than Rainbow's was but just as messy, and dirtier. It made me wonder hole long Abigail was fighting from since the last time she had a bath. My eyes then drifted down to Abigail's flanks were, to which threw me off a little at what it was.

On the mare's cream coated fur was her cutie mark in life. An image of an old beat up, blue colored book with a heart and a steel shield protecting it on its the cover. "Wow.. didn't expect you have cutie mark like that," I commented as I gave it a look over. "I was expecting more like exotic and futuristic maybe. But who am I to judge on another's cutie mark. So are your into book's?" Abigail's face became one of loathing. Like she was taking a trip down memory lane.

"I do... When I was a little kid, my mom would buy me a new book for me to read every month." A sad look crossed her eyes and a small smile formed. From what I was seeing and what I've read about reading ponies, it looked like she was thinking about memories from a long time ago. "I remember the hours my mom would spend time with me; together we read books and tell stories. I loved reading books, it was my love of books that got me ahead in school and got me to skip a few grades and be at the top of my class at the age young age of sixteen, but it wasn't good enough to get me a scholarship. My mother was saddened by this for we didn't have much money to pay for it, and student loans and would take a long time to accumulate and payback. Later our salvation came in the form of my uncle, my mothers youngest brother. At the time he was fighting another country but always kept in contact with the family. When he heard of my problems for school from her mother, he made a few calls to with some of his friends. A few weeks later we got the call from my grandfather that he and my uncle pulled some strings for me to get a scholarship through the COG military by accepting an 'open' invitation to the Onyx Guard Academy at Halvo Bay. There I would get the best education in the country. With it being open meant that they only needed my signature to accept. Mother didn't like the COG at the time much, but she supported me on my choice on whatever path I took. A few weeks later I was in the academy attending classes. I had just turned seventeen at the time, right at the early age requirements needed for military schools standards. Before I knew it, I was receiving top marks for classes in language studies, advanced mathematics along the morning training routine the average COG soldier got."

I was paying close attention to Abigail's story. To hear her achievements at a young age and her family giver her so much support. Trying to find ways to help better herself not just educational wise, but to be a strong individual in general.

"That was my life for seventeen months. Made friends with a few other students and the teachers. Was not at the top of the class but still made good scores on my tests and all of my family was proud of me And I wouldn't trade any of it. Not in till E-Day." She said, her tone darkening. Making me raise an eyebrow.

"E Day? What's E day and why do you hate it?" I asked. To which I slowly began to regret it. Abigail's face took a sudden darker hue, one that kind of reminder of herself when she wanted revenge on Twilight and her friends. Only this look was one that wanted to kill.

"Emergence Day. The day a new war started. With a new enemy to fight. It was from that day where everything would change humanity forever."

Thinking back to what Abigail told her when all of us were asking a bunch of questions. The thought of the topic of the war she was in came up. "Are you talking about the Locust you told everyone?" I asked to which she nodded in confirmation as she just sits and stares at her cutie mark for a minute before I see tears in her eye corners.

I put my hoof on her shoulder slowly pushed her out of any distressed memory's that might be haunting her. "Hey, are you alright?" I asked her. A look of worry crossing my face. "You just got quiet for a moment and sat there staring at your cutie mark for a minute before started crying."

Abigail reached up to her face and found that she was indeed letting out a few tears. "Oh, sorry you had to see that," she said before wiping away the tears from her face. "I'm fine, just thinking about some people is all."

"Would you like to talk about it? I'm a good listener, and you like you could use a friend." I offered with a warm smile. Abigail looked hesitant on the offer for a friend.

'For all I know from what she's told us she may not have that many.' But none the less Abigail smiled back, feeling a bit better at her offer before it disappeared as she looked up.

Seeing her Looking up at the ceiling confused me a little but didn't comment on the matter. "Life sucks."

My head reared back into the chair a little at the soldier's profanity. Wasn't expecting something vulgar that's for sure. I just stayed silent and let the mare continue. "Right before coming here I had a moment of clarity. 'The' moment, as they say, the kind where you would expect to have when your life flash before your eyes before you die. Now I'm in a place where everything I did before doesn't matter, and now I'll most likely be seen by others to look like a professional killer. From the looks of yours and everyone's faces from when I told you about the Locust I killed." Abigail explained sadly. "That might not be too far off."

"I'm sorry that you come from such a dangerous place. I don't think I could begin to see how bad things must be over there." Being taken back a little from the sudden confession.

"No...You couldn't" The soldier said to me. "What I told all of you was only the child's version of the war. The real reality of it is, a living nightmare of monsters." The Gear said with a hard eye to me. It had shocked her with that look. "All we know over there is war, Starlight Glimmer. Pray that you will never know such a thing. For in war, there is only you, the one fighting next to you, the one that wants you dead, and the dead that lay."

The silence was all that came from the two unicorns. To hear Abigail talk about such things, it was the horrible reality of what war is to this mare in front of me. What she has gone through, it reminded me too much of the time spell that nearly caused the end all of all life in the world. "So what do you ponies do for fun around here?" Asked the soldier, breaking the silence.

The quick change of topics was like a small breath of fresh air to me. "Well, there are a few things around here, but I don't think you'll find them very exciting."

"Oh, stop tipping toeing it. What you got around here?" I looked at the soldier for a moment before thinking about all the things I knew about the town.

"Well there's the bakery at Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie works there, and she hosts a lot a lot of great parties there. They make the best baked goods in town too. I also know of a nightclub somewhere on the south side of town that's not too bad from what I'm told from Rainbow, but never been there myself. Also, there's the library here in the castle if you want to learn more about Equestria and how to use your magic." I explained. "I'm sorry that I won't be here to see it."

"Why? Don't you live here?." Abby said confusedly. A small feeling of nervousness crept up my spine as the memory of her time in Our Town crept up. "The ponies from my old village sent me an invitation to help host the 'Sunset' festival, and I'm a little worried. I wasn't the best pony to be around back then."

"Hey if they invited you to this then that means there at least trying to get your approval of this. Did you apologize for the things you did wrong?' She asked.

"I did, and they accepted my apology, but I'm still unsure of myself," I said in a sad tone before brightening up a bit. "That's why I asked my friend Trixie to come with me for moral support." Abigail had smiled at that before the look of an idea popped up, what she said next threw me off a bit.

"Would it be alright if I came too?" Abigail asked. " I haven't been to a festival in a long time, and that sounds like something that would make me feel a bit better being stuck here."

Putting my hoof to my chin, I began to think about that for a moment before answering. "I don't have a problem coming with me but-" Before I could finish, she was interrupted by the bedroom door opening up to reveal her teacher, Twilight Sparkle. "Hey, girls how are you... two... doing?" She said before her eye's settled on the peach-colored Gear... "Whoa... Is that you, Abigail?" Twilight asked a small blush showing up on her cheeks.

Abigail spoke first before I could get a word in. "Yep, it's me alright. How are you doing there princesses? Starlight here was telling me things about what things to do around and invited me with to go with her to that festival of hers'." Not caring about the looks Twilight was giving her. Twilight gave the pair a smile that seemed a little forced by Abigail's angle but decided to ignore it.

"Really? Oh, but I was hoping that you could stay and answer more questions about your world. There is so much more than we ponies could learn from you and your technology. Just from your armor alone could tell us much!" Her mentor pleaded. Abigail didn't look moved to my teacher's plea.

"I think I may be doing you ponies a favor by not telling you. Like I told Starlight here, all my people know is war. Everything I have with me is for war, Princess. Do you want your ponies to be in the position of that knowledge?"

Twilight was taken back at the soldier's statement. Before she could reply, Abigail presses further. "And don't me crap about "ponies will never do such a thing." Bullshit, it only takes one."

She then walked over to Twilight, where I actually saw a size between the two. Where Twilight beat me by just a few inches, Abigail beat the princess in the same way. "It only takes one individual to start something. To misuse the power that they have gained something at the expense of the others. Soon more will learn of this, and they too will do so. Can you tell me with absolute certainty that there won't be a pony would misuse the knowledge I have." She concluded as they were now nose to nose with her mentor. To which she looked very much intimidated by that the tall soldier. Abigail's hard face soften for the princess, "I'm sorry if you feel denied by this, but you must know that I have lived a very hard by your standards and the things I know could very well haunt you. From the view from that window there," She pointed to the one at her bed. "You don't need it, and I will not be the cause of such." She took a step back before settling down on her haunches. "Now was there something else I can help you with, or is there something that you need to tell us?" She finished.

Twilight took a few seconds before replying, "Y-yes, I just came up here to tell you that we haven't heard back from princes Celesta yet which is odd because she usually replies to my messages fairly quickly. But I'm pretty sure she is just busy right now." Twilight explained. "In the meantime feel free to use this bedroom as long as you need it. I don't know how long it would take me to get you back to your reality, so your welcome to use this room here for your stay.."

"Thanks, that solves one small problem for me," Abigail said, thankful for Twilight to do so before she continued.

"Well since you two are going to be gone for the next week, I'll look into the spell I used to view other realities, by the time you two get back I should have something for you. Don't you worry about a thing, we'll work on how to send you back to your world one way or another sergeant."

Abigail gave her nod of approval and well as my own approval. Twilight also got a look at Abigail's cutie mark and was surprised by it too seeing a book on it. "So your destiny is something relating to books, but you are a soldier as well?"

"Wait, destiny? What are you talking about? "Abigail looked at Twilight like she was crazy. I then stepped in to explain.

"Twilight, I don't think she knows what cutie marks. So she doesn't know what they mean or what they are. Like the Diamond Dogs and griffins." I explained to my teacher before looking over to Abigail. "Cutie marks are symbols that adorn a pony's flank once they discover their special talents in life. Young fillies and colts don't have them till they pop up later in life. Usually, they get their cutie marks when they do something that represents who they are. Most figure out what they are good at before they are old enough to finish school." I explained to the soldier. Twilight then added her own to the conversion. "A cutie mark is a representation of pony's talent. I know three young fillies that tried for years to find theirs practically doing anything to get theirs only to get them in something they did something that they never would have expected." Twilight giggled at the memories of CMC attempts before receiving them, before her attention was back on the Gear. Abigail looked once again in thought before answering.

"Before I became a soldier... I loved reading books. I still love reading books. Even with the war going on I always found a little time to read a few pages for comfort." Abigail explained to us. "My family exposed me to books at a very young age... They would get me a new book every month of the year to read. Some of the animals in the world, a few funny romance storybooks, even a couple books about brave knights fighting giant monsters." Her eyes looking up at the ceiling in above of them. a smile crossed her face "I used to have a whole bookshelf in my old home before the 'Hammer Strikes' happen-..." Abigail stopped herself from going further into the past. Her smile quickly disappearing "-and I don't know why I'm even telling you guys this. It doesn't matter now. The past is the past," Abigail said, her voice going firm before she looked over at the ponies. "Anyway, Starlight what time were you leaving to go to this festival of yours?"

The change in the topic again was starting to make me worry. There were things that Abigail wasn't telling us, and coming from her background I'm not sure I want to know. It was starting to like an awful story to me from the way the Gear stopped herself from going further. A list of questions was going being written down in to try asking her later when she feels we can be more trustworthy. Like what are these 'Hammer Strikes'? What happened to her home? I thought they were about to cross into a dangerous zone. One that I felt that the Gear didn't want them to know or to the least not yet.

"We um, leave in the morning, right after breakfast!" I said quickly. Not wanting to get on Abigail's wrong side "I'll even introduce you to Trixie when we leave. She is my best friend in Ponyville, and we'll be accompanying us on the trip."

'I just hope nothing bad happens on this trip as is.' A quick knock on the door grabs everyone's attention. The young male voice of Spike the dragon came through the door.

'Knock' 'Knock' "Hey guys! Are you all in there? Dinners ready!"

A look at the clock on the nightstand showed it was six thirty in the afternoon. "Wow, time fly's," I said. "We hear you Spike we'll be down in a moment. You can leave your armor and stuff here in your room." I explained. Twilight looked at Abigail for a sec then smiled at the gear. "Come down when you are ready to eat Abigail. Spike makes the best vegetable soup around." Abigail's stomach growled at the thought of food. Which in turn made me and Twilight giggle as Abigail blush at the mention of food. "I'll be sure to have a hot bowl ready for you when you come down." She finished before Twilight exited the room me following behind.

* * *

 _Abigail POV_

I looked at the pile of gear that she had just taken off and wondered if I should just put back on her armor and weapons, but couldn't cause I haven't learned how to use my magic yet. I cussed for the lack of hands in her current body. Looking down at herself. I was naked. All of my armor was off and laid on the floor. My Lancer and snub pistol were laid out on the desk next to my Onyx helmet. My armor plates were scattered between the bed and the floor in pieces. A small draft blew in from outside came through the window made me shiver. I had rarely been out of my armor during the last ten years. It has been every little bit a part of me as if it was an extra layer of skin. Only when I had to clean myself, clean it or replace a part was when I had it off. Hells I even slept in it most of the time. And I almost never went anywhere without some sort of weapon. Hell, Gears would take their guns with them when they went to when taking a dump. Most Gears I knew had there Lancers with them when they slept. Never know when a Locust attack would happen.

Looking at the weapons than the armor before looking out the bedroom window. I had a good view of the sun that was slowly going towards the horizon. I'd given it another haft hour before it sets but it gave off enough light to shine across the town she viewed. "This ant a bad looking place," I said to no one. It was nice looking town to the Gars eyes. It really was larger than the mining town she was in earlier. Mt eye's followed the roads leading out of town to where the farms were before they led off into the distance. All along the road I saw, more ponies of all colors of the spectrum walked along doing their business where ever that may be. No signs of battle touched this place, and the town looked to be growing still from the sight of homes being built on the other side of the river that ran at the edge of town. I also noticed something else that didn't the first time I looked out. All the houses weren't made of crystals like the castle was, why is that? 'How odd" she thought. Before giving the town another once over.

"There's no war here.." I silently said. My voice sounded sad yet relieved at that notion. What would I do if I am stuck here? War was the only line of work I knew. I spent haft of my life in war. Battling grubs was all I did. If there was a chance, if I couldn't return and was stuck here for life, then what's here for me?  
Before I could continue with my thoughts, my stomach reminded me once more of the offer of food I received minutes ago. Taking one last look at my things I pushed the armor to the side of the bed then lifted up the mattress. I then laid all three of my weapons next to each other before putting the top mattress over the top. With my guns hidden I made for the door and left to see what pony food is like. "One thing at a time, Abby. First food then...We'll see what is next." I declared to herself before leaving the room.


	4. Chapter 4

_Equestria, Castle of Friendship Ponyville_

Abigail POV

* * *

"Ug... Haven't these ponies ever of signs?" I asked to no one. "Would it have killed someone to have put up a map saying 'you are here!' Come on I had better luck finding my way around my old apartment building then this fancy place.., and that place was over twenty stories!" I had just left my new room five minutes ago and already lost my around here, typical.

"I swear it didn't take me this long to get me to my room from that war room I popped up in."

After another minute of walking, I heard voices down the hall. Turned my head, I walked in their general direction them. They were distant but sounded like they were around the corner. It also sounded like a guys voice so must have been the little dragon Spike, so she made her presence known. "Hey Spike you there!?" I called out. With making myself know, the voices stopped making the hallway silent once again. Walking around where she heard them I hoped he or whoever it was could direct her to whatever counted as a dining room. What I got was an empty corridor, which puzzled me.

"I could have sworn I heard someone's voice over here. I wonder if it must have been one of the servants of the castle. Being a princess and all that must have been one of them, but where did they go?" As I eyed the empty hallway, I felt smudge of danger hit my senses. The same feeling she developed over the years against the grubs when they were about to emerge from underground. It was small thou, small enough that I'd barely felt it. In the fourteen years of fighting, that gut of mine has rarely been wrong. After a minute of silence and the feeling haven't resurfaced, I slowly made my way down the hall, keeping an eye on each door that I pass and an ear to the wall. After hearing nothing and having felt nothing. I figure it must have been a false alarm. Given that this is a new world and in a new body, my six senses aren't in tune yet.

Then a smell of well-cooked food hit my nose. Whatever it was I felt before was gone I decided to leave it at it being a servant and nothing more. Giving the empty hallway one last look, I then turned towards where the smell was coming.

And besides, I developed that feeling for when I was fighting the Grubs. Unless this world had its version of the Locust or I was on her way to being mad. I then took that idea and squash immediately. I was already dealing with being in another world and turning into one of the natives; I didn't want to at insanity to the list of troubles I had going on in life right now.

Following the stench of food, I soon heard voices again. Quickening my stride, I soon found myself back into the main hallway just outside the room with all the crystal chairs inside. Following the sounds of conversation, I found the center of the source of both the food and noise. There sat around a small table was Twilight, Spike, and Starlight eating out bowls of soup. Twilight was the first to notice her through the doorway. "Hey, there you are. We were wondering when you would join us. Spike made Tomato and pepper soup tonight. You'll love it" She happily offered.

Moving up to the table and taking the only unoccupied seat there. In front of me was a bowl of soup. It was an assortment of green, red and brown colors mixed into a blend. A small whiff of steam rose from it showing it was fresh from the pot which made my mouth water. A napkin with a spoon laid on top was just to the side of it. Looking back up Spike had a spoon in his claw and getting a spoonful of red goodness into his mouth. Twilight and Starlight had theirs in their fields of magic. Looking closely at the two ponies in front of her, each of their horns glowing. Twilight's magic was the same color purple as her eyes; the same can be said about Starlight's light blue colored magic match her own. Looking up at my new appendage, I wondered if magic like simple levitation was so easy to use.

Starlight then caught me looking at them while I was focused on their magic. "Is everything alright Abigail? You haven't even tasted your food."

I then realized that I had gotten everyone's attention while looking at the magic display. "I um, just trying to figure out how to use this," I said while pointing to my new horn.

"Oh right, you still don't know how you use your magic yet." Starlight said. Twilight had a look of glee on her face before speaking.

"Starlight, do you know what this means? We get to be the first ponies to teach magic to a creature from another plane of existence!" She said aloud while clapping her hooves together. The sight made me giggle at her sight. It reminded her of a little girl getting the perfect birthday present she wanted. After a minute of celebrating the princesses had finally calmed down and looked at me.

"Let's get started then. Will start off easy with the most simple one any unicorn can do. Basic levitation." She said before demonstrating herself by levitating her spoon in front of everyone. "Levitation is a common trick that every unicorn can learn. Fouls at an early age learn this spell the same as walking. As time passes by this spell will become as second nature to breathing." Twilight had explained before she picked up more things with her magic. "As one pony's magic develops with age the stronger their magic is," before setting everything back down. Starlight then picked up the next portion.

"First try focusing your emotions. A lot of unicorns use their emotions to channel their magic to get an understanding of how to do spells. It's how I use it when I'm doing any powerful spells. Now close your eyes and think about your emotions." She instructed.

Doing just that, I closed my eyes and began to think about what I was currently feeling while trying to wrap my head around this thinking about doing something I thought impossible just this morning.

"Since magic is so new to you and you're already an adult, the magic should be there in a large quantity but will be foreign to you all the same. When you find it grab hold of it and push it around in your mind." Starlight explained. I was doing just that, but trying to look around in your own head is not something. Trying to feel around your mind while using it was starting to make less and less sense. I was about to stop when I felt something off. I noticed that wasn't there before if I had to describe it. It felt like a small paperweight was rolling around in my head. Thinking this might be it, I thought about grasping it with an imaginary hand. "When you have a good hold of it direct it around towards your horn and will go from there." Starlight continued. Nodding my head in understanding, I directed the paperweight like thing forward to my horns base. Then began to notice something strange, when it touched my horn, I felt 'lighter' for the lack of a better word. Like sometimes you feel like you can jump higher after you carry a bunch of stuff.

"Is my horn doing anything right now?" I asked the ponies. This time it was Spike that answered her.

"Well, why don't you open your eyes and see for yourself. " He answered back.

Opening up my eyes, I looked up at to see the peach creamed horn aglow with an emerald green aura shimmering around it. "Great job Abigail. Also congrats on getting your magic out for the first time." Starlight apprised before moving on. "Now that you've pulled out your magic you can now focus it outward from your body. Look at the spoon in front of you. Also, remember magic does involve a lot of psychological factors. Don't simply think about lifting it up, make your mind believe you're picking it up. Like a desire to do it."

Following the wise words of advice, I take a deep breath before looked down at the spoon. It was just a dull gray metal spoon on a white napkin. All I had to do was merely grab it with my new magic. It was simple, right? The others did it, why not me? So what's so hard about that?

"Just reach out to it and grab it" I muttered. In my mind I had only thought about it would be near impossible for me to pick something up without the use of my hands. So I imagined my old hand in the place of my magic to pick up the spoon. The results were instant. A clapping of hooves was brought out at the sight of Twilight and Starlight capping their forehooves together with her spoon suspended in a green magic field.

"Good job Abigail!" Twilight said, looking at me with excitement and interest. "Even though this is the most straightforward spell to master for a unicorn, and performing it on the same day as becoming another species is nothing short of incredible. With some time and effort, you can go far in the Equestrian magic community. You probably have some inert magic's that are unique to you from your world; I can't wait to find out what they are regarding your talents."

"Well, at least you can pick things up now with magic instead of the inert magic in your hooves right?" Starlight said happily, drawing a confused look from me.

"What do you mean by inert magic in my hooves?" I said before looking at my hooves. Starlight then went to demonstrated this by grabbing the spoon out of the green aura with her hoof and holding it at a horizontal angle with the spoon on the bottom. All I could think about was how this world continue to both surprise and amaze me. 'I may not want to head back to my world if this stuff keeps popping up,' I thought from the things I've seen so far. A twinge in my tummy told me why I was here again.

Retrieving the spoon from Starlight, I refocus my sights at the bow of food. Dipping the spoon in the soup like substance, I levitated it up to her mouth and got a good taste of it. The flavor of bell peppers, tomatoes and spinach landed on her tongue. I hummed from the warm taste in her mouth. The COG army doesn't get much in the way of food from it's few farms so real food like veggies were rare to her. The only thing that was considered food to soldiers was the protein paste and the flat fiber bars. Some got the balls and the talent to go out an hunt for whatever they can find that weren't killed by the Krill swarm, Locust or Stranded. A few smart soldiers had an excellent idea of salvaging old spice stores. In the early days of the war, her uncle sent me a package full of spices for her to keep for if she ever had to eat 'real' military food.

Setting the spoon down in her food before I excuse herself from the table to go back to my room, leaving behind the confused party. Quickly finding my new bedroom, I searched the many pockets for her uncle's gift and saw the familiar yellow cylinder. Picking it up with my newfound magic, I exited the room and returned to the dining room. Hopping into her chair, I opened the cylinder and sprinkled the flakes of red, brown and black spices onto the veggies. Taking the spoon, I gave the warm vegetables a good stir before taking in a spoon full.

Closing my eyes, I let out a satisfying 'hum' of approval at the familiar taste of spiced food. It had been good long while since the last time I've had food this good. Opening my eyes, I noticed my company eyeing me and my shaker. "What?"

"What's that?" Twilight asked.

"Oh, it's my spice shaker. I use it to spice up my meals." I happily said.

"Can I try some?" Spike asked politely before pushing his bowl over to me. Obliging the little dragon's request, I levitated my shaker over and shook it over his food, just enough for him to taste it. Spiked mixed his bowl a little before giving it a tentative lick. He 'hummed' at the taste before he gave his nod of approval of the stuff. "What kind of spice is this? I think I recognized some things, but I can't put my claw on what it is." Questioned Spike."What you call this?"

Bringing it up to the side of her face and gave a mocking salesman smile at the dragon. "It's called, ' _Slap Ya Mama_.' It's what myself and the boys have come to call it. It's ideal for all kinds of meals wither it's for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Whether it be the everyday meal or the military's nasty MRE's, this stuff will help make anything tasteless taste better."

"What's in it?"

"Oh, several things like onions, bell peppers, salt, pepper, and garlic."

"I like it," he said before putting in another spoonful in his mouth.

"Can I try some too" Asked Twilight. Handing over her spice shaker and I watched the Princess shake it a few times over her food, mixing it in before taking it in her mouth. Her spoon dropped out of her magic grip, and her face scrunched up while turning a few shades darker.

With some force, she swallowed it whole before she started panting very hard before jugging the cup of water in one go. Gasping for air, she looked at me with a look of shock on her face. "How..? How can you tolerate such a taste? What else is even in IT!?"

Thinking for a moment, I that realizing I forgot to mention the hot jalapenos for the big kick in the flavor department, rubbing the back of my head and gave a few embarrassed chuckles. Taking another big scoop of the veggies into my mouth, she watched in amusement at Twilights growing eyes. The Gear wondered if it was possible for ponies eyes to pop out of their heads.

"Now you know why it's called the way it is," Abigail said with a smile. Taking another spoon full of the fresh and now spicy veggies while not showing any weakness in front of the ponies. Twilight stared in disbelief while Starlight and Spike both held back their giggles from the princesses shocked reaction. While I continue to enjoy my spicy veggies.


	5. Chapter 5

_Equestria, Western plane._

 _Abigail POV_

* * *

Yesterday morning I woke up from the best sleep I had in a long while, even if I'm stuck in a body of a pony and with still had no answer on how to get home. Let me catch up on things for you after I woke up.

Putting on my armor, 'minus the helmet' with my newfound magical powers had been a small challenge, but managed it in the end. I also wondered what else I could do with magic now that I have access to it? Looking over my weapons, I took a rag I'd found in one of the desks and started wiping off some of the old blood, powder residue, and dirt that was on my guns. Especially the Lancer given how dirty it gets at how often she uses it. Getting blood in the gears could seep through the cracks and cause a jam in the inner workings. After cleaning her weapons, I'd returned them to the hip and magnetic holsters before walking downstairs for breakfast and meeting up with everyone.

There I'd met the most big-headed pony I'd met thus far in this world. _The great and powerful Trixie._

The light blue coated mare with a white mane and tail, wearing a wizard's outfit was very strange. This pony kept switching between taking in first person and third person. It was funny at first, but now it was getting old. From what I could gather, Trixie was a traveling street performer that does magic shows. It was kind of shameful to hear her call herself the 'great and powerful' Trixie, no creativity. The little bit of boasting she did was also annoying but luckily for the performer not to the extent of demonstrating what a mark two Lancer can do to a pony. She wasn't any threat to anyone as far as I could tell. If it weren't for her narrating herself in every other sentence when talking to others, we could probably get along fine. The mare also 'wanted' to know why I was coming and if I was some kind of special royal guard.

I noticed that the others didn't know how to explain me and were looking at each other on whether or not to disclose who I am. Before they said anything, I thought up a quick backstory and told the show mare of how I'd used to be in the guard, but turned to inventing afterword's then being asked back in as a guard. I also told her about herself being new to the area and not knowing anyone around, I'd befriended the Princess, and later met and befriended Starlight. Who then told me of this trip and asked her if I could tag along with them; we'd also swap a few ideas on how to run things in the Twilights castle. Now that Twilight was starting to think about commencing her very own royal guard soon. Why the princess didn't already baffle me. Trixie believed my story and asked about the armor she wore, Abigail answered it was experimental combat armor that was going to be what future soldiers will want to wear and that she was testing it. I also told her it's the only set of armor there that they are testing right now, so she won't see any other like it.

Trixie looked a little skeptical at the explanation. Especially when she commented on how strange my weapons had on my back, I just told her there were some more experiments that I'd be working and testing on while they were away and won't have to worry about anything. It was a good thing too because I didn't want to tell her they were weapons that could tear a pony in haft.

The others looked surprise at my explanation but went along with it. Not wanting to push there luck with the show pony.

The three of them left Ponyville with a lovely heart filled farewell from the only others they new around here. I also saw Twilight had that look of irritation that she didn't get invited to go with her student but excepted it as part of Starlight's 'friendship lesion' whatever the hell that meant. E also heard Pinkie yell out she would have my 'Welcome to Equestria/Ponyville party' ready for when they get back. That lifted my spirits up a bit.

Trixie had a pretty decent mobile home that she herself pulled around along with all our supplies. Despite her quirks, I was generally impressed at the strength, Trixie displayed with how she pulled it all day and looking like she barely broke a sweat. That alone in itself is impressive. She would get along great with any heavy weapons unit with that strength and endurance back in the COG.

Trixie and Starlight mostly talked to each other about what's been happening in their daily lives. While I just trotted with them and stayed quiet for most of the trip just looking out at the wild unaffected landscape as they passed by, it was surreal. For most of my adult life, I was stuck wandering ruined cities and desserts filled with burnt trees.

When night time came, Starlight slept with Trixie inside her mobile home for the first night while the gear volunteered to sleep outside. Starlight tried to protest the idea of me sleeping outside and asked Trixie if I can sleep inside too. Trixie looked annoyed at her being offered her home to a stranger but kept quiet about it with an 'hmm.' I again declined the offer sincerely and asked only for the spare blanket and pillow from their supplies. It took a little convincing to get Starlight to leave her alone for when night settled over. I'd chose a small patch of grass that was under a healthy green tree.

Positioning myself up against the tree with my head pulped up on the pillow to where I had a breathtaking view of the stars above. For myself along with every other soldier, we hated the night due to the Krell swarms that harbored it some nights. But there were no Krell here, so I got the chance not to fear for the first time in many days and relax under the night sky. Seeing the bright stars shining brightly in the heavens kept me awake awhile longer to admire the sight. Soon to my confusion, the star's themselves all suddenly dimmed. And I mean ALL of them. It was really strange. Like as if a switch just flipped and they all just lowered in brightness. I just shook my head and decided to ignore that moment and went to bed getting herself another dreamless sleep. And reminder herself that this was a new world, so it had new rules at play. 'So new world, new rules' is what I'm going to pass it off till I learn them.

When I woke up, I and my traveling companions had a simple morning breakfast of scrambled eggs before going on our way. It wasn't before long the scenery dimmed to the point of where the area seemed ' _bland_.'

Reaching up and over the hill we see their destination come into view.

"There it is, the town where you-"

"Stole eveypony's cutie mark replace them with equal signs and force them all to hide their natural talents... Yes" Starlight said abruptly. Interrupting Trixie and bringing a lot of confusion to me at what was said. ' _What? When did this happen?_ '. Guess I wasn't told me of everything that goes' s around here. Trixie then decided to continue what she was going to say.

"I was going to say 'where you came from, but yours is a more emotionally traumatic answer," Trixie said with a wave of her hoof. Starlight visibly 'sigh' while I gave Trixie a look that easily said 'really.'

"I just want to blend in, just be another pony in the crowd and join the Sunset festival with my friends." Starlight said sadly. I was taken back a little at the attitude that Starlight was emitting. She only knew her for two days, and Starlight considered me a friend already? I didn't have much in the ways of friends because of the war nowadays. But felt a bit good none the less at the jester. As for the blending in comment.

"Oh yeah, the town's former leader, a street performer and an onyx black-armored soldier, we blend," I said sarcastically. But it looked like it easily went over both of the native ponies heads before Trixie continued.

"Sounds good to me and if things get weird for you just let me know. I got your flank." Trixie proclaimed. Starlight relaxed at that.

"Is that a promise?" Starlight asked kindly to the show mare.

"Not just any promise," Trixie said before rearing up on her back legs with her left hoof while holding something into the air and as she went all show performer in front of us. "A great and powerful promise!" Trixie declared before throwing whatever she had down unto-.

' **BOOM!** '

Smoke filled everyone's vision as we hacked and cough to get the smoke out of our lungs. When I was finished hacking up a lung, I turned to the Performer with an iterated look.

"Don't do that."

"'Cough.''Cough.' Well, I couldn't ask more than that, if we're gonna to do this let's do it" Starlight said in a shaky voice. Trixie unhitched herself from the mobile home. And together, the three of us trot into town.

The closer they got to town the more I saw of the town. The town design was very simple. Just a single road down with two string of buildings. Decorations and banners hung over the walls and streets by Pegasus. Other ponies were milling around tables set up food for everyone. All the colors and happiness was all but foreign to the gear. Such a sight was a rare thing to back on Sera nowadays, and I couldn't help but take it all in with a smile. I hadn't been to a party in ages and was getting into this trip.

"I hope the food is as great as this place looks" I commented. Wondering what other foods they have here.

The three of us entered the town and stopped in front of two stallions. For me, this was the first time seeing the male end of the pony gene pool. One was white earth pony with both a white coat and mane and the other was a unicorn with a puffy blue mane with an aqua coat. They looked more muscular in stature and their faces more longer and narrow like a regular horse. They were hanging up a banner that displayed three ponies smiling at a sunset. They stopped what the were doing and noticed us as we walked up. They instantly brighten up when their eye's landed on Starlight. "Oh Starlight you came!" The snow white one happily shouted. Before moving up to the group. They seem to ignore both Trixie and me completely.

Starlight gave out a quiet whimper as she gave them a forced smile and a hearted wave. The other pony was equally excited to see the purple mare. "We were worried you wouldn't be able to make it are you staying the whole week? We have different events. Each day! "

Another pony came up from behind the three and joined in on the conversation. "How's it living in a castle?" said a dark pink unicorn with an abraded dark purple mane.

"It's so good to see you." Said the snow white pony.

"Oh yeah, these ponies aren't terrifying," Trixie said in a sarcastic muck to Starlight followed by a playful giggle. I gave the showmare disapproved look at that but kept silent as I watch everything unfold. This wasn't the time for any of that. I then looked at Starlight while ignoring her friend's banter as I gaze out at the rest of the growing crowd.

"Its good to see all of you too." said in a somewhat relaxed voice.

The aqua unicorn in front of them was the next one to talk. "You got here just in time. We were having a debate about these banners." Gesturing to the two banners being held up by few flying Ponies. "Which do you feels more sunsetie?" He finished with a smile that creeps me out a little.

Starlight visibly shook at his question before forcing a smile and backing away from the stallion. "A-Oh, you don't need me to decide that. Whatever you think is probably best."

Then the white stallion again charmed in next to his friend and put in his question to her. "Oh well, helping us with the routes for the relay races tomorrow? Can you take a look?" He asked with a big smile. 'Alright at this point those smiles are getting creepy.'

Starlight looked like she was showing signs of panic at the attention she was getting. I recognized it from her time back at the academy, peer pressure. "Oh, I shouldn't, you all go ahead I just want to enjoy the festival." Starlight said sincerely before the dark pink unicorn got closer to Starlight's face.

"But you will a judge for the backing competition right?" She yelled excitedly into her face. Follow by the Snow white pony doing the same.

"We had a few questions about the order of the acts for the talent show."

'Ah oh, This does not look good' I thought worriedly. I'd needed to do something now! Making her way over to her new friend's side with Trixie following suit on taking the other, they were quickly stranded in the middle by the townsfolks bombardment.

One by one more and more ponies began to crowd around the poor Starlight. As each question was thrown at the poor mare, Starlight started to shake under presser. Trixie and I caught each exchanged looks of worry knowing this wasn't going to end well. Starlight's eyes darted back in forth to all the ponies. Her mind was now cracking under to much pressure.

"NO!" yelled starlight with a blast of magic that sent everyone minis Trixie and me back. Looking down Starlight was on the ground shaking like a leaf on a tree with her forelegs over her face. Slowly the local villagers got up off the ground wondering what just happened. I had to give Trixie credit for what she did next as she pulled out another smoke bomb from her cape while addressing the crowd.

"The 'great and powerful' Trixie would like to thank you all for being such amazing audience; sadly it is time for us to depart. Good night fillies and genital colts!" She cried out before throwing down a smoke bomb to cover them as the three mares made their retreat out of town with haste.

"Move, move, MOVE!" I ordered as we retreated.

Reaching Trixie little mobile home, they stopped there retreat for Trixie to hook herself back up before moving again. Once the village was out of sight, Starlight was the first to break the silence that fell upon them. "I was horrible when I led that town. I was ready for them not to trust me but I wasn't ready for them put me in charge again. With my past, I should never be in charge of anything." She said sadly.

"I think that went rather well if that's what you were hoping for," I said my two cents to the pony.

"So you messed up, big deal," Trixie said before stopping her home to look left and right then at me before putting her attention on Starlight and whisper something into her ear quietly so I couldn't hear any of it. Starlight gave Trixie a small smile. "I feel like that's almost good advice." I didn't know what the performer said, but it must have helped.

"I don't know what you did in the past that made you feel like this way Star. But owning up and taking responsibility for your actions whether they be good or bad is a trait for future leaders. Just because you did something doesn't mean it controls you now. Only if you let it, will it control you." I said trying to sprinkle a little wisdom on her head. Something her old drill sergeant had taught back in the academy. Starlight looked a little saddened by my words but got its meaning. "So pick up that chin and move on already. You got friends right now who's with you to help you. If you're not yet ready to fast your past yet, then that's no problem. Only ask them for when your ready and they'll be there for you. That is what they do." I finished before hugging the pony to brighten her up. "And if you ever need a little more motivation, just ask or give me a call. Will talk it over dinner." I whispered into Starlight's ear before breaking off and giving her a wink before walking along ahead of two. Seeing the red blush on Starlight's face.

I heard Trixie moved up beside Starlight and asked what I say to her, but ignored her moved on to follow in my wake.

As for me, I didn't know why I offered myself up like that. Sure Starlight is a pony, and I'm a human in a pony's body so that shouldn't work out. Then again, I've has always been bi-sexual in my adult life. Having experimented with both genders in the past and if I'm stuck here, then I would need to find new ways keep my life from becoming dull. Having only been here for nearly three days things might change for her. 'Especially if Starlight keeps looking at my ass like that.' I thought with a bit of pride. I may have to give her a day in court if she is into girls, if not no harm no foul. They could stay friends or friends with benefits.

And so the three continued as they made their move on back to Ponyville. Unknowably unaware of the dangers that lie ahead.

* * *

 _Ponyville, Everfree Forest_

As the day begins to close into the night, on the outskirts of Ponyville a group of cloaked individuals gathered around a set of four pods. "That's the fourth one, where's the rest of them?" said one of them.

"They will be here, they had the two toughest jobs to do out of all of us here, but they will get it done." said another.

As soon as he finished saying that a low buzz of insect wings brought about the groups attention. The sight of seven more cloak wearing creatures fairing three pods made the other cloak bearers smile wickedly. They dropped the three pods in front of them to observe its contents. Inside the were the free-floating forms of there targets. Pink party planner and element of laughter Pinkie Pie. The next contained a much smaller occupant of a baby purple dragon, Spike. The last one got everyone giggling with glee as it was the unmistaken alicorn, Princess Twilight Sparkle. The second most hated enemy of their queen.

"Excellent. With all of our targets captured, we can proceed according to our queen's plan. Did you do what our queen suggested?"

"We did, once we got ahold of the baby dragon they both surrendered to us with no trouble, pathetic." Said one of the creatures hovering in the air.

"... Wait there is only three here. Did you not find the student of Twilight Sparkle?" Question one of the cloaked figures.

"We searched the castle and found she is away and won't be back until next week." Explained the other cloaked figure.

"No matter, remember. She wasn't even worth our time or the queens time to replace her anyway."

"Right let's get these back to the hive. Our Queen will be pleased. All hail Queen Chrysalis."

"All hail Queen Chrysalis!" Repeated the cloaked changelings before splitting up with one making their way back to the badlands and the other as the elements of harmony, plus one dragon.


	6. Chapter 6

_Equestria, Ponyville outskirts._

 _Abigail POV_

* * *

"After I apologize for my stupid actions they accepted me after everything I did, then Princess Twilight took me as her student to learn under to study the magic of friendship." Starlight finished explaining.

"Wow... Just wow, didn't expect to hear something like that..." I said in awe. Amassed at the story she was just told and was slightly fearful of the unicorn that is Starlight.

We were slowly coming up on Ponyville. Starlight had just been telling me how she became the student of Princess Twilight. Along with a few other stories about Twilight and the element bearers, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Applejack. That's what were they called themselves anyway learned. To learn that those six had saved the world several times including from Starlight's time crazy wrath was starting to overwhelm her. And the villains of this world? A shadow king that can cast black magic? This worlds version of the Locust, minus the firearms with shapeshifting abilities. A giant centaur that sucks up magic from ponies to the point of near death. This place is crazy I tell you.

To think Starlight was a villain and can time travel in all this was a little concerning. Mainly the part where she went back in time and cause multiple wildcat time sequences to the event where all life on the land gets destroyed. If Starlight could do something like that, I hate to be on the receiving end of the unicorns wrath. I rather go up against a pair of Brumaks on foot then to deal with any enemy that could simply go back in time and kill you when your an infant.

In addition to the stories she told me. Starlight has also been showing me all sorts of magic and been teaching me a few things. Starlight has been showing me all kinds of magic to better help me with dealing with this world. I didn't know teleportation was possible till Starlight demonstrated it in front of me. Along with some training on how to fine tune my levitation to the point they were like working a set of hands for me. Now I can work my weapons without any problems about lack of fingers.

"So there was this old wizard, and he made a spell to go back in time, but it only got him to go back a week. Then you came and did work on it to make you go back a decade in the past?" I asked, getting a nod of confirmation from the student. "How is it that you have not been approached or contacted in by privet or government officials to take part in some random and advance scientific projects. Or be taken in by the military for civilian contacting to some significant top secret military base to do some secret military program?" She asked with a series tone. "Or even be executed on how dangerous you are out of pure fear of you doing it again?"

That stopped the mare cold as she looked at her friend. Seeing the mare halt in her tracks and looked back to see the sight of realization and fear plastered on Starlight's face. Like I had just dumped a pitcher of water over her face to clear out the gunk that was covering it. "I didn't realize it? I mean, I've never got a letter from anypony to come and do anything like that. With being princes' Twilights student must have pushed the military away if they haven't tried contacting me about anything. But Equestria doesn't have a death penalty. Not for centuries!"

"If you did a shit storm like that back in the COG you would either be in prison under heavy guard, left to rot, executed or be taken to a secure research lab where you would be forced to develop some new tech for the government. Possibly weapons or some other R&D project."

"I don't know if I like any of those options." Starlight said warily.

"Then be glad your not in the COG."

"What is this COG you two keep talking about?" Asked the show mare.

"Um..." Shit. I forgot that Trixie was with them. Ok new plan for her backstory lets mix it up a bit. "Th-their called the 'Coalition of Ordered Governments.' The locals and outsiders refer to them as the 'COG' to say it easier. It's a mouthful," I might have to give up some things about herself but not everything. She looked like the type of person to accept haft truths.

"I, Trixie have traveled all over Equestria and not once did I have ever even heard of this 'COG' before. How come you have, and I haven't, hmmm?" She questioned.

"That's because it's not in Equestria silly." Which is true, "Its a string of islands outside of Equestria in a place they call the Tyus coast," I explained. She wasn't technically lying to the show mare but she need to give some her info. The Tyus island chain is part of the COG territory that the Locust haven't been able to attack very well from the strong navy we have guarding them along with the storms they regularly have on the coast. Making it a good defense to any outside attacks. "They're a very closed off bunch, and rarely leave their homeland. For you not knowing them is exactly what they want."

"Then pry tell, how did you know about it?"

"I was on the guard detail was sent over with our ambassadors and again for when we went with the princess." Putting my hoof to her chin, making it look like I was thinking hard about it to remember. "That was nine years ago I think for when those happen. It's an interesting place; It was even where I spent my last three years in the guard. I even stayed there when my time was up as an emissary. Both to help get them into the notion of breaking them out of there isolation and improve the idea of outsiders living there." I bullshitted. Trixie look of suspicion had faded a bit. "If you don't believe it was they who inspired me to make this kind of armor," I said while I tapped my Onyx plated chest.

That seamed to satisfy her mood a little bit. "Alright Trixie will except this for now but may require more proof in the future." She declared.

' _Yea, If I'm still around that is_.' I thought.

They then entered the town and got a good look at the town in full swing. For some reason, this place looked more colorful than when they left town. Ponies were mingling in the street, and an actual food market was here down the road. I still wondered what other foods are around here. It was already the middle of the day, and so lunch was within reason. I also noticed a few ponies giving me weird looks, like wide eye stairs and raised eyebrows. 'Must be the armor that's doing it.' I thought simply. None of these ponies know war like me so seeing another pony in full Combat kit might send out a few wrong signals.

I decided to ignore them and put in favor of food. I wonder what other foods these ponies can make. That vegetable soup that Spike made for them was the best. Like something you would create at the end of the week to show off your resolve how that you totally deserved it. Or something like that. An the food she had for the last three days with Trixie and Starlight was indeed better then what she had in the army.

The continued thought process of food made me more oblivious to my surrounding. Making me almost miss the bright pink jumping pony in their path till Starlight called out to her, snapping me out of my little food craving stupor.

"Hey Pinkie Pie!" Starlight called out before quickly making her way over party mare. With myself and Trixie following at a slower pace.

Pinkie stopped her bouncing and turned back around to face us. Pinkies eyes spotted Starlight her eyes widen for a sec before giver her a big smile. "Hey, umm. You." Greeted pinkie Pie.

Starlight looked a little nerve's before speaking to Pinkie. "So... Your probably wondering why I'm back so soon?"

"Where were you?" The pink pony asked.

I looked at the Pink pony in confusion. ' _Wasn't she with us when we left for the festival?_ ' I thought. Starlight was also confused as well. "I went to my old village... For the festival?" Starlight explained to the mare.

"Ohuuu sounds fun, how was it?" Pinkie said happily.

"Haaa it was kind of a deserter. I came back early because I freaked out." Starlight explained feeling down at what happen to her.

"Ehheew, sounds awful, bye!" Pinkie happily said before leaving.

"What the..." I just stop at what had happened. Anger was slowly building up inside me at that point. It felt like an out of boot private just insulted an NCO right in front of me and was about to go after her to whoop that ass of her's till she knew what respect was.

"That was strange.." Starlight said in a suspicious tone while turning to Trixie and me. Trixie didn't look that effected by it. "Isn't she always strange?'

"Yeah but not like that?" Starlight said before turning back to the road to see Rarity and Applejack walking by. "Hey!" Called out Starlight. Gaining the attention of the two ponies as she trotted up to the two. "I'm back early."

"Ah welcome back." Replied Rarity

"Have you two noticed Pinkie acting a little strange?" Starlight asked.

"Pinkie pie always acts strange," answered Applejack with Rarity nodding her head in agreement.

"Told you," Trixie said looking a little proud that she was right. I bumped into her side, getting her eyes on me and giving her a ' _your not helping look'_.

"Anyway I wanted to take to all of you. Things didn't go the way I thought they were going to go with sunset festival."

"What happened?" Asked Rarity.

"I kinda freaked out and ran out of the village." Starlight explained sadly.

The sad moment was ruined when both element barrier ponies burst out laughing in front of them. "You freaked out and ran away from vegetable festival, ah ah, that's the funniest dang thing I've heard all day." Applejack taunted happily while Rarity laughed with her.

"Oh let me guess, the decorations were terrifying." Rarity said before the pair laughed some more.

Starlight and Trixie were looking at each other wondering what was even funny about this. While I on the other hand-hoof felt like wanting to kill something really badly, and these two mother fuckers were about to be on the top of my shit list. I was about to teach them a lesson in manners when two more ponies showed up from the air. The tomboyish Rainbow Dash and shy Pegasus Fluttershy.

Their laughter got cut short when Fluttershy whispered something into Rarity's ear while Rainbow just pushed Applejack the side a little rougher then ones 'friend' would do before addressing them. "Hello, ponies." Rainbow said with a voice that sounded a bit high for her, like she was losing it and in a tone that I did not like. "We need Rarity and Applejack, vary important friendship business." then the four of them all turned around and walked the other way. With Rainbow swooshing her tail at the tree with a little bit of dirt.

I didn't know why but my six sense of danger was kicking into overdrive at that moment. Like it did back at the crystal castle, it was trying to tell me something is wrong here, and she needed her weapon out like right now. Before my thoughts on my danger sense could continue Starlight burst out running in the direction of the castle. My focus then went to the show mare.

"Trixie, take your home and park it near the castle. I got a bad feeling about this and whatever is going on can't be anything good. So stay alert and be safe." I finished before sprinting off after the student while leaving a very confused show mare behind.

Quickly reaching Trixie's trailer, I grabbed my helmet and chased after Starlight. Even without the heavy combat armor and weapons that on my back. I made just in time to block Starlight before she reached the front door. "Hold it Star." I said while holding Starlight in place.

"What why are you stopping me? I need to get in there and see Princess Twilight." She said urgently. Tring to get past the gear being unsuccessful.

"I know, but you're not going in there unprepared," I explained before levitating some tiny metal disk with black rubber cover out of my ear.

"What is that?" Starlight said now stopping her struggling and catching her attention.

"It's a communications earpiece," I said, using my magic to tweak a small dial on the little dial on it and placed it in Starlight left ear that was partly covered by her hair. "It's a two-way radio earpiece, this what soldiers like me use to communicate with other squads or to our higher ups if they are within radio range. I just changed it to my frequency, so it will allow the both of us to talk to each other. I also set this to listen to what everything it hears in a ten-foot area through that device for when you go in to speak to your princess." I explained before donning my helmet. "I got an extra in my helmet here to listen in with; I'll remain out here and watch your back. If your in any trouble I'll hear it and come running to knock some heads around." Starlight had a look of wonder as she thought about the metal disk that's hidden within her ear.

"Really?"

"Go over there little ways," Abigail asked. Starlight walked a little bit away from the Gear before turning back around. Abigail put her hoof to the side of her helmet to press the transmit button. "Hello." She said simply and received a cute ' _epp_ ' out the mare. Making me laugh at how adorable it was. "Do not worry about doing anything with it right now and focus on what's going on. Head up when you're ready and watch yourself. Also, try not to freak out when I try talking to you. It would make you look less crazy."

"Alright. I don't know about this thing, but I trust you with this." Starlight then turned around to the door, while I hid behind a large tree down the road. Looking from behind my tree, I saw Starlight was unsuccessful in opening it and resorted to knocking.

Putting a hoof to the earpiece, I didn't have to wait long before the familiar voice Spike coming through load and clear. Though his voice sounded way less cute than before. "What do you want? Twilight's very busy," he said in an obviously annoyed voice.

"Spike I really need to speak with her." Starlight replied.

"Make an appointment, she's a princess after all." the sound of a door shutting was all he heard through the mike. _'Doesn't Starlight live in the castle?'_ I thought.

"What's wrong with all of you? Why are you all being so-"

"Rude." Came the cutting voice of Princess Twilight Sparkle, continuing what Starlight was about to say. _'Now to get some answers.'_

"I think a certain dragon didn't get his nap today." Twilight snarked.

The sound of something dragging on the ground made by the small speaker followed by the less cute voice of Spike. "Yeah, whatever."

"Sorry, he's been acting a little off all day. I think he missed a meal or something." She explained.

"He's not the only one, everypony seems to be acting a little strange today. Starlight said to the Princess.

"Yes, it's certainly been one of those days, how are you?" Twilight said as she tried to dodge the question. She sounded a bit nerves to Starlight from the way Twilight sounded over the mike.

The sad voice of Starlight filled her com piece to answer. "You're probably wondering, why I'm back from the village so early?"

"I didn't want to bring it up but yeah it did seem strange, did it not go well?"

"The towns pony's kept asking me things like they expected me to be in charge again. But being a leader is the last thing I want to be. So we left. Very suddenly. In a literal puff of smoke."

"Wow, you should definitely never go back to that village."

"What?" Both Starlight and Abigail said at the same time.

"If you were worried about what they thought of you before it's probably way worse now. I cut my losses." Twilight explained. If my face weren't hidden by my helmets mask, everyone would see how slack-jawed at what Starlight and I just heard.

"That's surprising advice coming from you?" Starlight said uncertainly.

"I agree, that doesn't sound right at all," I whispered into my mike to Starlight.

"Trust me; I'm the princess of friendship. You don't need those ponies; you can always make more friends." Twilight said sounding happy at her words. I was very conflicted right now. What in the ever living hell is happening around here?

"Speaking of friends," the voice of Twilight was heard again. "If you'll excuse me, I've important business to attend to!" She said in an urgent voice soon followed by the sound of another door slam.

"Abigail?" Starlight whispered to the mike.

"Yes, Star?" I answered back.

"Did you hear all that?"

"Ever. Single. Word."

"What should I do?" Starlight asked. With a voice that was dripping with worry. "Something seems very wrong here, and I don't feel-"

"Starlight Glimmer!" I called out over the comm.

"Yes?!" she replied in a scared tone.

"Deep breaths. Calm yourself. Do it now." I ordered with a firm voice.

The sound of several deep breaths could be heard through her helmet's speakers till they were even out. "Better?"

"Much.." Was Star's reply.

"Alright, are you alone?"

"Yes, I'm by myself."

"Ok here is what you're going to do Starlight. I want you to tell me who is in the castle at this very moment." She ordered. A few seconds later she got a reply.

"Ok... Well, there's Twilight and Spike you heard from, I also saw Rainbow Dash at the Map rooms doors, so maybe the rest of the elements are probably in there. They shut the door behind them, so I can't tell." Starlight listed over.

"Alright Star here's what we are going to do. I want you to take a position somewhere close by and watch them, call me if anything happens. I'll be right back." I instructed.

"Wait where are you going?" Starlight asked with panic returning to her.

"Relax girl I an't going far." She said calmly. "Trixie's trailer home is nearby. I'm going to downgrade my armor to be less out of place here in town. I mean come on? I stick out like more than pink suited businessman at an army training camp." That got Starlight laugh a little improving the mares mood. "Also you left your bags there with all of your money it. Can't leave that kind of stuff lying around you know. Also, I need to write you an IOU."

"Why?''

"I'm going to relieve your money pouch. I don't have any money, I'm going to that marketplace we passed by, so I'm going to buy us some food and will eat a late lunch together. What do you like?" I explained.

"You're going to use my bits to buy food for a lunch date with me?" She asked.

I could imagine the blush that was on the mare right now. "Well now, if you put it that way. It makes me sound like an ass..." I teased. "So you don't want anything?"

"... A blueberry muffin at Sugar Cube Corner and some apples if you please..." Starlight asked silently, making the Gear smile.

"That's better; I'll be back as soon as I can. Also, can you turn the small dial on your earpiece counterclockwise by two clicks? That way its power supply will last longer and not die on you. Only press and hold down the button whenever you need to talk to me."

"Alright, when will you get back?" Starlight asked.

"I'll be back soon. Keep a low profile till I get back ok."

"...Ok." She said.

Lifting my hoof off the side of the helmet, I gave the massive structure a look over from an outsiders view. _'What is going on here?'_ I thought to herself. It's like all their personalities had been changed to be nearly the opposites of what they were. As if they were brainwashed or replaced with someone that looks like them. "Something is definitely wrong here. I don't know what but I got a feeling I'll know it soon." I declared, right before my stomach growled.

"But let us get some food before trouble comes. No fun fighting on an empty stomach." I finished before making her way to Trixie's.


	7. Chapter 7

_Equestria, Ponyville Market_

 _Abigail POV_

"Mmmm.." I hummed in near orgasmic approval as I slowly saver the banana nut muffin before swallowing it. With Starlight following her example. "Good choice Star. I've got to remember that place for the next time I'm near there." I told my new friend before taking another bite.

"Yeah, Sugar Cube Corner is the best place in Ponyville to buy baked goods." Starlight said. Looking a little better now that she's calmed down a bit.

Thinking back, it took me a few minutes to find this baking corner store. My search went quicker by gaining the help of a kind gray Pegasus mare with lopsided eyes. She told me that she was already heading there for some muffins. They found the place very easily with how childlike its look. On the inside, I was memorized by the amount of food that was just displayed out on the counter. The gray mare suggested I get the banana nut muffin. Saying with absolute certainty, I won't regret it. _'And she was right about that, damn this is good!'_

After ordered both hers and Starlight's baked goods I went to find the market I saw earlier. There I saw the most extensive assortment of veggies or fruits I had not seen in many years. Even a few I'd never seen before. When I entered the market, I could tell I was getting looks from all the ponies. I didn't know much about pony expressions but the few that I caught felt like looks of jealousy and admiration. Some of them even sported blushes when they looked at me, from both males and females. At first, I'd wondered why I was getting all this attention? I left my armor and haft of her weapons behind for that purpose. Sure I kept my retro bayonet and pistol in Starlight's saddle bags if I had needed them. Along with my COG tags around my neck. Other than that, I was utterly nude like every 'pony' else. 'Maybe I'm hot,' I happily thought. I was naked out in public by human standards. Everyone always pays's attention to the people without clothing.

I soon found what I was looking for in the form of the biggest pony I'd have seen thus far in the world. A big red stallion with orange hair sitting behind a stall selling a bunch of apples. Big red also had a stunned look when Red looked at me, and if you looked hard enough, you could see the blush through that red coat, which was impressive. It was then I had realized something I didn't before. I was taller than all the other mares by at least haft a foot where Red here beat me in the same sense. I was also more lean and muscular than others so it must mean I'm attractive in this world at the very least.

When I got done shopping, I went back to the castle and had lunch/dinner with Starlight. She was already near the door when I got close, and now we had our food in Starlight's bedroom eating over her little coffee table.

"Are they still in there?" I asked quietly to Starlight. Not wanting to make to much noise.

"Yea they still in there. They haven't been out in nearly three hours, and not one of them has left the map room. Not even to go to the bathroom. Don't worry thou, I put a detection charm on the floor in front of the door, for when the next pony that goes' in or out I'll know about it" She said reassuring.

"Umm. How reliable is this _charm_ of yours?" I asked the student.

"Oh, it's very reliable. I use it on both my bedroom door and window."

"...Why?"

"To stop both Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie from pulling pranks on me from inside my room." Starlight relied on. "It works on Rainbow Dash but not always with Pinkie Pie."

Abigail eyebrow razed in question at the mention of the pink pony. "I' rephrase my question, _why?_ "

"Well according to Twilight, Pinkie Pie is an anomaly," she said. "And I believe her on that. Since meeting the six of them, Pinkie Pie is the only one out of all of them I can't figure out. I told Twilight one time I was going to try and understand how she doses everything without a horn and she freaked out." She thought of the funny memory of Twilight shocked look while dropping a book to try and stop her. "It looked like she was about to have a panic attack. When she calmed down a bit, she told me of the time when she tried to study Pinkie. Twilight ended up hurting herself a bunch of time, nearly getting eaten by Hydra and got so close to going insane that she burst into flames in frustration." She finished explaining.

"Twilight bursting into flames?" I said in disbelief. "Umm... what about the bursting into flames part. Do you mean metaphorical or physically? Cause ponies don't simply burst into flames hehe... Do they?" Not wanting to go up in flames herself.

"It's rare but not unheard of at all. Only unicorns and I guess alicorns as well can perform it. Maybe one in a thousand could maybe do it." Starlight said. "It triggers during something traumatic or in great frustration. The unicorns inner magic temporally converts it into raw magic and admits itself out from the body giving off a bright flame."

"Wow..." I said before finishing up my muffin.

"I haven't seen it done with my own eyes, but according to Spike, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, they all seen Twilight do it. So there's some truth there," said Starlight.

"I'm going to have to see it myself to actually believe it." I counter back. "I'll admit I've seen the weird, the ugly and the mix of both over the years. I've witness orbital weapons rain down fiery red rays of death to level city blocks, and sections of armies turned to ash. But seeing someone you know just bursting into flames like that, all because they got angry? Yea I don't see that happening." I said while shaking my head at the craziness of this place, looking back up I saw Starlight's shocked face.

"Orbital weapons...?" She murmured, with a hint of fear on it. The only thing that came to mind was ' _Shit. Storytime._ '

"Your people... created weapons... that could be fired... from space?.." Starlight hesitantly asked. While I just sigh at that. All my mind could think of was that I just upped and fucked up. Hoping to keep the lid on some of the darker aspics of Locust war. Looking up at Starlight she did not want to answer her last question. Thou for some reason I felt obliged to do so, feeling like she good for some level trust to the pony. Closing my eyes, and taking one last breath. I looked back at the mare in the eye.

"Yeah, The Hammer of Dawn." she quietly said to the mare.

"What?" Starlight said. Confused by the answer she got.

"That's what they're called. _The Hammer of Dawn_. One of the COG's most powerful weapon." I said. "Fitting name don't you think. A weapons platform we made to send down highly lethal energy to destroy anything that was below it. It was created nearly twenty years ago during the Pendulum Wars. Because of it, it ended the war with the COG winning. It's been our equalizer against our enemies since then to one-up them in conflict." I explained before I couldn't meet the pony's eyes anymore. "And the weapon to our greatest sin..." I didn't see it, but I could tell from Starlight's voice that she didn't understand.

"What do you mean?"

"When we created it was made to stop the war we were in from going further. It had already been going on for nearly eighty years, but when the first locust attacked... we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. At the time we didn't know what they are, where they came from, or why they were attacking us. They sprung from the ground under our city's killing all that was in their path. For the first day, they were popping up all over, attacking everyone, both COG and all the other countries that had humans. Whether it be soldier or civilian, adult or child, they showed no mercy." My voice was slowly coming back up with anger slowly taking control but refused to meet Starlight's eyes. "They butchered hundreds of thousands just on that first day, and we could barely do a thing about it." Images of her home city of Char sprang up.

"For a whole year, we fought tooth, nail, and blood for every inch of our country. Our Chairman at the time just died, and his son took his position after him a month later." Anger raged within me making my hooves shake a little.

"It became our sin thanks to him." I imaged my voice was dripping with anger right about now. "His first act was to burn the world we lived on." I wanted to stop myself from saying anything else, wanting anything to stop myself. But years of anger for that 'traitor' that was pent up inside raged to be let loose. Fighting the locust had helped, but still needed to vent. Still not meeting Starlight's eye's I continued.

"It was his first act as Chairmen to propose the fortification act which was in turn to burn everything on the surface that the Locust controlled and the surrounding areas. What that murders first act was to run and kill everyone he was sworn to protect."

"The Army was given three days to evacuate to the safe zone after the council made the decision. When the time was up." Tears were now falling from my eyes. "Millions were murdered by the press of a pair of buttons..." My body was shaking right now but kept my voice steady to keep the story clear.

"They didn't tell the civilian population centers or refugee camps to get out of the blast zone for fear of the locust hearing about it. Our leader pulled the trigger that ended not only in an untold number of enemy ground troops but also killed the ones that weren't..." I felt weak, didn't know why as I was feeling compelled to keep going. "When the act was done the world became angry as firestorms burned entire forests while debris and ash filled the sky blocking out the sun. To the higher up's it was said that the price was worth the sacrifice. When I heard that I told my superiors I was a security risk, for if I stayed around and saw the Chairman I would avenge all those he and the council murdered. I put in my transfer papers in and got the hell out of the guard and to the front to get away." By this point, I was oblivious to the world around me, not noticing Starlight had gotten close to me.

"That wasn't even the worse of it. It was what we called " _The Char_. After the very city I grew up too. The scar that the hammers created. It incinerated the landscape by flash burning everything. Flash burning the people into statues of ash..."

I was brought out of my anger when a pair of hooves wrapped around my neck and pulled into something soft and warm. Looking up I saw that Starlight was embracing me in a hug with my head on her chest, tears coming came down from her face. It was if the dam had broke. I grabbed onto Starlight and pulled her in with a hug too as we both cried into each other.

We held each other for what felt like hours as I just let out onto Starlight coat. But she didn't mind one bit as she was helping me through about a tough time in my life. Like what Trixie and I did for Starlight when she needed help going back to her old village. I felt so conflicted. Why did I say all that? Why did I explain the Hammer of Dawn to her? Why Starlight?

After a few more minutes I felt calm enough before breaking the hug. "...Thank you... Star. I don't know why I just vented there but thank you for hearing me out." I said sincerely.

"You don't need to thank me. It's what friends are for." Starlight happily replied before her face went back to being series. "You lost somepony important that day didn't you?" She asked me.

Looking down at my hooves, memories of faces long ago appeared before me before answering. "There were a lot of camps that were set up outside the city I grew up. When the city was being evacuated, a few of my childhood friends stayed behind to help with the evacuate the city and build temporary housing for the homeless. My Mother was with them to watch over the younger kids and set up a small school for little children." I said, smiling at the old memories of a time long past. "One of the few things that made her happy was teaching, and that made many others thankful to her for watching out over little children... I tried to warn as many people that I knew to run for the safe zone, but private communications were cut a few months before the strikes. Personal messages were hard to get out before back then and were near impossible after. I did manage to warn them but was too late in the end..."

"Abigail?" Starlight said softly. "You did everything you could do for them. What happened to them wasn't your fault." She sad to me before hugging me once more. "I don't have the faintest idea of what you went through, nor do I have a single clew of what you had to do to survive afterward." Breaking off the hug, Starlight forced my head up and locked me in the eye. "I wasn't there to witness the horrors you face. But I'm here now. Whenever you need help just give me a call, that's a promise."

"...Abby."

"What?" Starlight said now in a confused tone.

"Abby. It's what my friends to call me." I explained. "We are friends right?"

"Yes, we are." Starlight said happily before giving her new friend another hug.

My mind was ablaze with questions. How did I get so soft with all these ponies? Why did Starlight accept everything so easy so fast? If you told me last week, I was going to be spirited away to another reality through the means of a Lightmass detonation, where I am fated to befriend other beings that weren't the of the same as herself. I would have called them crazy and had the MP's arrest him or her for being a danger to themselves and others around them, and yet here she was doing just that.

"Thank you, Star. I feel a little better about myself now I got that off my chest. _'Sniffle_ ' It is getting late now. Why don't you get some sleep? I think I'll hide out over at Trixie's for tonight before returning tomorrow. Need to go to recover my stuff from her too. Don't want her touching something that could put a hole in her roof or have something blow up in her face." I said before breaking off their latest hug.

"That might be for the best." Starlight agreed. They made their way silently towards the castles front door and allowed me to leave the castle thanks to Starlight. "I'll be right back. You just get yourself to sleep. It'll be a few minutes till I get back with everything so go rest up." Abby said.

"Alright, But before you go what happened to the leader of your people? The one that pressed the button?" Starlight asked. A dark shadow filled my mind before answering back.

"After the Hammer strikes there were so few people in leadership positions. He stayed in power even to this day, but he lost a _'lot'_ of favoritism from both the people and the military. A lot of them saw the COG as no better than the UIR or the Locust at some points. A lot of soldiers deserted their posts to search the aftermath strikes, trying to find their families or friends in the rubble. Right now Chairman 'Prescott' still controls the COG, but is viewed very badly by many, even by his personal guard, myself included again see him as a traitor."

Starlight just shook her head in disbelief. "Why can't your people put a new leader in charge or have someone else take control?"

"Cause nobody wants the job that's why," I said simply. "Was that all?"

"Yeah that's all I wanted to know, don't you go off on some big adventure without telling me about it cause I might want to tag along." Starlight replied. That made me giggled but agreed to it anyway.

"I promise not do anything crazy without your knowledge Star or at least your involved in it. I'll see you in the morning." I said before turning around to go to Trixie's. After a few steps, I stopped to turn around to see Starlight still looking at me. "I know I'm hot and sexy by this world's standard Star, but it's impolite to stare at another's rear where I'm from you know," I explained to the student with a devious smile.

I then caught a glimpse of Starlight bursting into the color of a tomato before closing the front door on me. Satisfied with the reaction I got, I continued on to Trixie's place.

It only took me a good few minutes to reach the magician's trailer. Upon closing in on the trailer, I heard Trixie's stage voice coming from inside.

"Watch now! As the amazing Trixie, dazzle you all you all as she performs the most daring and spectacular tricks for all to see!" Getting closer, I saw a light coming out of her windows. Taking a chance and balancing myself on my back hooves to get a better look through one of the trailer's windows. Looking inside, I felt my jaw dropped at what I was witnessing.

Trixie was wearing my Onyx armor. She didn't have on the helmet as it laid off to the side. Instead, she had on her wizard hat. Both my Longshot and Lancer laid where I put them earlier with my helmet right next to them, so no danger there. Looking at Trixie again also had her magicians cape draped over the armor giving her a magical superhero look. Watching the magician with both annoyance for messing with my stuff and amusement at how ridiculous Trixie looked. I decided to let the magician be the fool for a few minutes as she did a few tricks. Trixie actually had a few good moves for some of the tricks she performed. Then she pulled out something from one of my pouches that made me a little weary but not outright panic.

Trixie then started spinning it as if she's about to show off some fancy new trick. If Trixie had pulled out the one frag grenade instead of the smoke, then I wouldn't hesitate on rushing in. But since it wasn't, I believed it was about time for the magician to pay the price of touching things that aren't yours and know nothing about.

Soon like I predicted the grenade spun out of her magic and hit the ground, and I counted down. "Three... Two... One."

" **Beeb Beeb BEEB WOOSH!.** "

As a smoke grenade should, it filled the surrounding area with thick smoke. Since it detonated inside the trailer, Trixie didn't get a chance to say anything before it blew. Rushing to the door of the trailer to let loose all that smoke take filled it. Opening it up the smoke quickly vacated the small wagon. Soon as the door was fully open Trixie herself flopped out on the ground coughing up a storm. Rushing to her side, I put the mare on her side to start beating on her back to get the smoke loose and out of her lungs.

"Deep breaths girl, just keep breathing." I continued this till the mare got a hold of herself and was aware of her surroundings.

"Abigail? What happened to Trixie?" The magic mare asked.

"You were messing with my stuff, specifically one of my smoke grenades in an enclosed space. Think of it as one of your smoke bombs but much bigger. That's what happened. If you had my helmet on you wouldn't be on the ground trying to cough up one of your lungs. Now come on, get up and lean on me. Let me help you out of that armor and get your blue flak into bed." I told her before holding the mare steady as they entered the trailer together.

"Yeah, Trixie agrees to this plan of action." Parking her next to her bed, I used my magic to lose the restraints of the armor before levitating them to the side. I then led the show mare to her bed. Trixie looked about dead on her feet. "The great and powerful Trixie didn't need your help, but it was appreciated none-the-less."

"No problem. You just owe me a smoke bomb now but will worry about that another time. Is it alright I sleep here for the night? I'll take the floor." I asked. Trixie just waved her hoof at in a 'go ahead' fashion. I gapped her starry nighttime hat and plopping down on her head bed before quickly falling asleep soon after.

Founding a pillow and blanket wasn't hard to find in such a small room. Setting off to the side, I began going a few things that happen today. The odd behaviors the other ponies were exhibiting were disturbing. Sure I haven't gotten to know them for that long, but the way they acted to us put me off.

I shook my head of these thoughts and closed my eyes. I was going to meet up with Starlight in a few hours to learn what the others were up too. Like them holding a meeting in the throne room for nearly six hours with no one leaving for a bathroom break was strange. Something is going on around here, that's for sure. I bet her rank on it.

Getting myself into a comfy position, the Gear quickly set herself in a spot that faced the entrée way. She also sat her Lancer down by her side in case of trouble. There may not be any Locust horde here, but that didn't mean squat to her. Pretty much every Gear Abigail has ever met had slept with a weapon wither it be a snub pistol, shotgun or a confiscated enemy weapon. After a few seconds of fidgeting, she found the right spot and got to sleep relatively easy.

...

After what felt a power nap me, a quick series of knocks on the window was knocked eyes snapped open. The voice of Starlight could be heard from the outside calling out to them. "Trixie? Abby? It's Starlight, are you girls awake?" I could easily hear the worry in Star's voice; something must have happened to make her sound that way. Any sleepiness that I felt left instantly at that. Trixie on the other hand just kept talking in her sleep.

"Of course Princess Celesta "Snore" I'll love to perform for peanut butter crackers 'Snore." If it were any other time, I would laugh right then and there at that, but held it in for later. Starlight obviously heard that and tapped on the wood harder to get her attention.

"Trixie wake up!" Starlight shouted. That time Trixie flopped off her bed and unleashing a grand fireworks display inside her home. With me being at the center of it.

When Trixie landed in front of me, her horn flashed out a ' _fantastic_ ' display of firepower into my face. Casing me to go deaf and near blind to the point I could barely see Trixie quickly opened up her window to let out the smoke that had accumulated from inside. I, on the other hand, was laid out on the floor with my head feeling like it was spun around on in circles. All the while images of several guys with fluffy curly hair dues in weird outfits singing about spinning records and wanting love in my head.

When ringing stopped, and the black spots in my eyes faded away, I saw that both Starlight and Trixie were standing over her. "Abby? Abby?! Are you ok?" Starlight said, coming to her loud and clear while standing over me. I let out a small grown before trying to get my legs under me. "Be careful that blast hit your head." Starlight explained.

"And ' _what_ ' was the thing that hit me? I feel like a flash bang just went off next to me." My voice croaked.

"That was me." Said Trixie. "I accidentally set off one of my firework spells that I had when Starlight woke me up. Sorry about that." Trixie stated in a somewhat haft hearted apology before she got into a sudden series face that was unfamiliar to me. "How do we know that you are not a changeling?" She said in an accusing voice.

All I could think in response was "What the fuck is a Changeling?"

I was both dazed confused, but that didn't help the two ponies in fount of me.

"What were the two things you called that chairman?" Starlight said sharply.

Which brought even more confusion, as to why that is relevant, though seeing how important this was from the both of their looks made me think something had happened to the point that this was relevant. "I called Chairmen ' _Prescott_ ,' a murder and a traitor," I answered with malice in my voice.

That only seemed to frighten Trixie but left Starlight relieved. "Ok, it's you. Now as to your question. There that type of pony I told you about yesterday, remember?" Thinking back through my dazed thoughts, I remember Starlight about the story about a royal wedding and the events that took place. "A changeling is a pony that can shapeshift into other ponies and can feed off the love of others if that love is directed at them, and now I have reason to believe that Twilight and the rest have been taken and replaced by them." She explained. "I just got a message from Princess Luna that she and Celesta were just attacked and to call for help. I need to confirm this, but I need your help, can-"

"I'm in."

"-you help?. What?" Starlight said taken back my straight forwardness. "You will?"

"Just let me gear up, and I'll be with you," I said simply before gathering up all my gear in my magic. "You two head on inside and I'll be with you all in a second. You sill have my com device Star?" I asked, now going back into a familiar combat role. Getting a nodded of confirmation. "Good keep it on you and turn it back to the setting it was on earlier to allow me to hear everything. It will take me a moment to get everything set, so you and Trixie go on without me, I'll be right with you shortly." The Gear advised.

Pulling out the little communication piece from her ear she set it to the open setting.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Starlight asked.

"Yes, when I get done here I'll be right outside the front door, my armored boots will make much noise when I'm inside. Just leave it open for me for when its time and don't make contact with them until I get in position at the front. If you're in trouble teleport out back to this spot, I'll catch up." Starlight didn't look satisfied with her answer but agreed to it nonetheless and ran off with Trixie in tow. As I listen to while putting back on her Onyx armor, I heard Trixie ask questions about me and why I called the chairman those things over the com. Also, Starlight promised to explain everything when this was over. I then heard what sounded like a door squeak over the com meaning that they were in the castle now. While they moved into the castle, I continued as she just got on her black body suit.

I was about to put on the main parts of her armor when she heard the sound of bickering and laughter over the earpiece. That means Starlight and Trixie are in position, good for them, got a hurry now. Soon I hear the Voice Of Princess Twilight "Is it ready?"

Then I hear Applejacks voice sounded in reply. "Just one more."

What followed was a sound of what the Gear thought of was electricity humming as something starting up. It was quickly explained by Starlight's shocked voice, "Queen Chrysalis!"

"Uge, I can't take any of you seriously when you look like that."

The voice of what I assumed was the Queen over the radio. "Oh shit," I said, pretty sure that Starlight heard it over on her com piece, made me double time her efferent on putting on the rest of her armor.

"Oh, Sorry," The Twilight's voice said. Followed by various sounds of whooshing fire could be heard.

' _Must be the magic to make them look like others at work Star was talking about._ ' I thought before securing the last of armor before equipping my weapons on the go with my helmet floated beside me. As I made her way back to the castle gate, I continued lessening in on this Queens 'drones' give out a report.

"Everything is according to plan, we replaced the six ponies and their dragon and have take control of the castle."

"Excellent and I just received word that the princess from Canterlot has been successfully replaced as well." The queen happily told them to which they cheered. ' _So getting help from the other princesses is a no go along with whatever military forces they had for back up. Well, ant that perfect._ ' I thought as I potion herself outside the door. Putting a hoof to her earpiece, she then radioed Starlight. "Star I'm at the front, hold your position. We need as much intel so keep listening in."

"We thought to small last time. One pony-nap princess wasn't enough with all the most beloved ponies of Equestria taken care of no pony can stop us!" The Queen happily said before she erupted in laughter along with her drones. Soon the sound of whooshing electricity was heard again meaning the queen was no longer there.

"Starlight get out, now!" I said sharply followed by what sound of hissing could be heard over the com. Panicking now that my new friend was about to get attack by an unknown number of assailants. I burst through the front door and into the main foyer of the castle seeing that Starlight and Trixie were nowhere in sight, that was good at least. But the entourage of six ponies plus one dragon was making there way to her fast. Putting a hoof to ear and whisper into her com piece "Star I've been compromised, do that teleporting thingy and get out now. I'll meet you over at Trixie's trailer when I'm done." I said simply over the mike.

The 'Changeling' that I believe was disguised as Twilight went up to her and demanded to know why she was breaking into her castle.

"I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle, what have you to barge into my castle. I'll have you locked away for your crimes whoever you are. How do you plea?!" She called out as the rest slowly advanced from behind there defector leader. Seeing the small shadows of Starlight and Trixie behind the approaching group. I gave the two confident smirk just before they disappeared from existence. Good, they're safe, now there was no need to hold back. Them seeing my smirk 'Rainbow Dash' got angry.

"What's so funny wise guy? You think your some tough mare breaking into a princess's home."

"Me? Oh never have I thought I was tough dear ' _Rainbow,_ ' you know how tough I am. You witness me kill several monsters a few days ago along with the rest of those present here." I 'explained,' with a bit of smugness at the sight of all seven of them looking like they made a mistake. "In less, you forgot about me along with the rest of you since Pinkie was planning a welcome party for me with Applejack's and Rarity's help. Also Spike and Twilight should know me a little bit more than the rest of for my spicy eating habits, and then there's the info about telling Fluttershy here about the animals from where I came." Now all several of them were looking at each other not knowing what to do next. "So in less all of you happened to forget about me, or all of you are Changelings. So why don't we cut to the chase and you drop those stupid discuses? "I said finally. "For a bunch of creatures that happened to turn into other beings you all are terrible actors that don't do there homework."

As one, all seven of them went up in a green fire for a moment to show off what they actually look like. ' _Have to say, though they be bigger,_ ' I thought. They all stood on four black hole riddle legs as ponies do, and their entire bodies were covered in the hard shell-like appearance. Each of them had horns and pair of bug wings. But what stuck out the most was the blue bug eyes that they had. In all honesty, those creeped me out the most. But when you see a Brumak up close nothing compares.

"That's better, now which of you is going to tell me where the Princesses and the other ponies plus the dragon have gone, or do I have to get violent?" I asked nicely.

My reply was when one of them charged at me head on as it flew through the air. With a quick swipe of my Onyx helmet that was still floating in the air, I bashed the changeling in its face causing where it redirected itself and slammed into the wall next me. When it flopped on its back, I pinned it with my foreleg, she then through her Lancer in an overhead arc on her down enemy's chest and activated the chainsaw bayonet. The changeling's natural chitin armor stood no chance as my blades sawed through its barrel and like a magician I sawed the changeling in haft. Looking up from the dead pony bug. I saw the other six with shock and angry faces about ready to attack. Putting my helmet on, I ready my Lancer for my first fight as a pony against a new enemy.

"Well, it was going to get violent anyway," I said before flipping the safety off her Lancer.


	8. Chapter 8

**Use of Force... Nope**

 _Equestria, Ponyville. Castel of Friendship._

 _Abigail POV_

Apparently, my quick action and execution of the first changeling brought them to rethink their tactics a bit. They thought I was joking about the monster killing. Now seeing one of their colleges brutally executed in front of them put a shock to their view. Oh, how right I was going to prove that.

Two of the channelings snapped themselves out of their little shock and fluttered up into the air. They then proceeded to send magic bolts at me. Not thinking and more surprised they can do something like that with magic. One stop's dead as it impacts my helmet forcing me to lean back a bit while the other ricochet off her right shoulder piece. I could hear changelings sneered happily at their little attack, only for them to quickly stop as their duel attacks were barely left any marks on me.

' _Good thing I decided to wear a helmet for this, or that would have hurt me a lot more then it would have looked,_ ' I thought happily. The Onyx guard's helmet and armor variant had a little more interior padding than the averaged Gears does, made to withstand several shots from a Lancer before it crumbling. These guys shots felt like light sparring punches compare to getting shot by Hammerbursts heavy rounds. Looking up at the two that attacked, I tilted my head to the side getting a nice sounding pop, that even the furthest changeling down the hall could plainly hear, before giving them a dark chuckle. The shapeshifters didn't know it, but I was giving them a devilish grin under my helmet before speaking again.

"My turn," I said in a dark whisper.

The two flying changelings that attacked her didn't know what hit them when I leveled her Lancer at them. I mowed them down using nearly haft the mag of Lancer fire in a horizontal spray. They both gave a wet flop as the landed on the ground in front of the remaining four pony grubs.

Take shelter, take out the pony from behind cover!" One of the squeaky sounding changelings called out. I observed the four as they split evenly to each side of the hallway behind the crystal pillars a further ways back. Not taking any chances I fire off a few more shots at shapeshifters off before sliding next to the wall covering from the left side on the lobby. I then switched out her Lancer for the Longshot longshot out and sat it on the floor next to her thinking she might need them soon.

 _Starlights POV_

Teleporting out with Trixie, my mind couldn't believe what I had just seen. Twilight and her friends not only have been taken by the Queen Chrysalis and her changelings. But the Princess Celesta and Luna too?! Oh, this is bad. And Abby she is still in there fighting, and I left her! What kind of friend am I for just leaving her there!

Trixie continued to hyperventilate beside me, "I cant take any of this, I'm just a performer! This is, this is, princess level stuff. And the changelings have all the princess! We're DOOM!" She threw her hooves and coward on the ground.

Thinking quickly on how to calm my friend I reached out with my foreleg to try to comfort Trixie. Before I could touch her, I hear the sound of a bunch of loud popping sounds coming from inside the castle. That brought both my and Trixies attention. Only one pony I knew who could be doing that. "It Abby, she still fighting inside.

"What is that popping sound?" Trixie asked.

"That must be her weapons. From what I know they shoot balls of metal at anything you point. I'm told there very deadly if used properly." I explained followed by a small explosion.

"Then it's a good thing I didn't try messing with them when I got the chance."

"Anyway," I said getting us back on track. "Chrysalis said they only took Luna and Celestia, and now Twilight and the others. But there still Cadence. All we need to do is get to the Crystal Empire before the changelings do and-"

"There won't be any help from the Crystal Empire." A lone voice said.

The sound of leaves rustling in the bushes revealed a lone changeling walking towards us. Trixie instantly freaks and starts screaming. I then felt something familiar about this changeling. Putting up a shield and a mute charm around Trixie, I stepped closer and saw that his wings were sparkling. "Thorax?"

"Yes."

Your wings look different."

Thorax flapped them a few times making them shine, "I guess they do."

I was a little interested at that before remembering what was going on. Adding more magic to my horn, I advance on him. "How do I know your not just some other changeling pretending to be Thorax?" I questioned him. He backed up a few steps before explaining himself.

"You there when Spike defended me to the ponies of the Crystal Empire. Princess Twilight said-" He began before shape-shifting into Princess Twilight "- As the Princess of Friendship, I should set an example for all of Equestria, but today it was Spike who taught me-"

"OK, ok, I believe you. You don't need the whole speech." I interrupted. Follow by a 'whoosh' of magic to reveal the changeling. I then walked over to the bubble I held Trixie in. "Trixie, this is Thorax. He's a 'reformed' changeling. He's on our side, understand?" I explained to the captive show mare. Getting nod that she understood, undoing her magic I released my friend from her glowing prison and land back on the ground. Thorax then walked up to Trixie as if to introduce himself formal manner.

"Hi, it's a pleasure to- "He started but stopped himself when it looked like he was doing more harm than good at the moment.

"If Starlight says you are on our side, I believe her, but maybe just stay over there, for now, ok?" She stated in a small pleading voice. He then, in turn, backed up to where he was now standing next to Starlight.

Remembering what Thorax said, I now needed questions answered and started proceeded to ask the changeling her questions. "What do you mean there's no help? Did the changelings get Cadence too?"

Thorax looked even more in distress now when he answered. " They took Cadence, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart! Sunburst sent me here to get Princess Twilight's help, but it sounds like its too late for that too." Thorax then moved up to her. "So what do we do?" He asked.

"Yeah Starlight are we going to do?" Trixie asked before butting into her friend's personal space. It was then a well-welcomed voice made itself known to the group.

"Well isn't that the question of the hour?"

 _Abigail POV_

 _A few minutes earlier_

 _Taking a glance around the corner only to jerk back as multiple shots of magic impacted the wall and floor, leaving behind scorch marks on the ground. I did get a decent look at where they all hiding at; two were stacked up on the ground while the other two were on top firing from a downward angle of the. 'So they are using numbers and their ability to fly to their advantage, but also don't want to end up like the first three. Good, didn't want this to be a boring fight.' I thought darkly._

 _Leveling my Lancer out, I fired at the pony grub that was flying to my right. After emptying a quarter of her mag, I earned my fourth kill from this world. Wanting to save the Lancer ammo I switched to the longshot and left the Lancer on my back. While doing this one changeling must have got desperate after seeing another one of its comrades got killed._

 _"We got to rush it! It's the only way!"_ It said before flying at the gear in full force. It's two remaining colleges tried to stop it but failed. I heard him clearly and brought up my Longshot; I was generally surprised at how close the changeling had come at her person, but that tactic works better as a team then by themselves. I fall three of them came at me. They might have had a chance. I didn't have time to switch back to Lancer or accurately aim my sniper rifle at a moving target, so I did the next best thing, I lunged forward. Closing the dissentients', I thrust my Longshot forward like it was a lance in hope to push the pony grub back. What I got was much, _'_ _much_ ' better. The changeling's mouth was apparently open, and when I had thrust her weapon forward, it went down its maw and swallowed up a good eight inches of the Longshots barrel. The grub ponies momentum caused the rifle to slip from my magical grip and planted itself to the ground making the changeling swing upwards. Quickly stopped its motion, and with a look, I was now responsible for inevitably making this world's first changeling themed flagpole.

I suddenly decided it would be appropriate time gave a quick salute before firing off the anti-personnel cartridge. The result was just spectacular. The round obliterated its neck separating its head from its body, having been flung back to the other two changelings were at. While the head just flew the air as kept going and going till it settled itself on the light fixture that hung in the middle of the hallway above the two remaining changelings. The remaining changelings looked at me in horror before the got the idea to run down the hall to the multi-throne room was. "Quick! back to the map room, we have to contact the queen!" One of them shouted to the other.

"Oh no, you ain't going anywhere!" I shouted as I dropped swapped longshot for the Lancer before running after the two.

The two reach the doors to the multi- throne room of where I first came to this world; they had just closed them big doors shut, and the sound of the door lock clicked quickly echoed into place. Without wasting any time, I fished in one of my punches and took her one and only, frag grenade and planted it on the door. Falling back a bit she aimed at the Frag and fired off a few rounds at it. The result was a satisfying frag detonation. The blast destroyed the doors and killed one the changeling that was behind the door, having a layer of shrapnel embedded inside it like a pincushion. The other one was still alive and was on the table messing with a few black rocks. Firing off the remaining rounds of her Lancer taking the last changeling down. It fell to the floor with 'thump' and one of the black rocks it was holding fell with it.

Walking over to it, I saw it was still alive, barely. I floated my helmet off so the changeling could see my face. My green emerald eyes met its honeycomb blue. I watched as its breaths became shallower and shallower before it finally stopped.

With the enemy dealt with I picked up my helmet and left the trail of destruction that I started in my wake, picking up the sniper rifle I dropped. I reloaded it and put it back onto the magnetic clamp on my back. Walking back outside I made my way over to Trixie's trailer home I then realized that Starlight's comm piece was still on. Aberrantly I was oblivious everything Starlight, and Trixie had been saying to each other, and there was now forming a plan of action when a new voice when through her mike. A male voice by the sound of it.

"There's no help coming from the Crystal Empire." The new voice said in a sad tone.

 _Now_

The three then spun around to look at me as she approached from behind them. "We gather who's left and we fight," I stated simply. Seeing me still alive brought them relief. If only for a moment before they got into a fighting stance. From left to right I then proceeded to answer what was on their minds from her left to right. "No I'm not a changeling, yes it's is me, and no I'm not going to kill you, Thorax. You left you com piece on Star, so I heard everything." I finished while taking off my helmet. She then looked at the 'friendly' changeling

"Hello Thorax; I'm Sargent Abigail Terrell, a friend of Starlights. Sad to say we didn't get to meet under better circumstances. As for the seven changelings that were inside, they won't be a problem and won't get out in till the guards come by and pick them off the floor with the way I dealt them with them." I said in a haft truth. That got the three of them to relax at her statement before Trixie continued.

"But who else can fight? There is nopony else, everypony with powerful magic is already gone." She said in a scared tone of voice.

"You know whenever ponies talk about powerful magic's they always leave me out. If I weren't so involved that I might decide to take it personally." Said an unknown voice.

Grabbing her Lancer and pointed at who was talking, looking up on top of Trixie's home to see a... I didn't even know where to describe it, 'thing?' That laid down knitting a white rabbit? It then turned to look down on us. "Well isn't this a combination of secondary characters." For some reason, I felt incredibly insulted by his remark.

"Who the fuck is this guy?" I asked my friend. Before Starlight could answer, the strange creature suddenly appear in front of her making me jump back in surprise. It's right 'paw?' held my right foreleg like an as if he was greeting her.

"Hello dear, I'm Discord, god of chaos. I absolutely love the way you took down those changelings. You, my good lady, are a breath of fresh chaos to these peaceful lands, and I do hope you stay around on this plane of existence for the remainder of your mortal stay." The name sounded familiar, but for some reason, I couldn't put my finger on it. He then turned to Starlight with a bored look.

"Speaking of changelings, where are Twilight and the girls?" He asked.

Starlight then proceeded to confront the strange being. "First, how do we really know you're really you?" Starlight questioned.

He then looked at her in with a board expiration then he snapped his 'claw?' Then weirdness took over, and it was like I was tripping on combat drugs, plus acid or something or another and haven't slept for several days to see some weird shit. Now I've seen some weird shit. Trixie's home turned into a big purple pumpkin; flowers were doing some sort of dance jig, the night sky above us was a different color, and I didn't want to know what they were standing on. Either way, I will now never question what state of mind her sanity is ever again because it's probably out to lunch. "Shall I continue?" He said in smugness.

' _Oh shit!_ ' I realized. I recognize this guy now; he is one of the bad guys I was told about that Twilight and her friends defeated.

"Chrysalis and the changelings are back. They pony-nap all of the most powerful ponies in Equestria. Celesta, Luna, Cadence, Shining Armor, Flurry Heart, Twilight and her friends we need to-" Starlight was interrupted by Discord when reality was warped back to normal when he got up close and personal to Starlight's face with an angry glare.

"They took Fluttershy?' he questioned in a threating voice to her.

"Yes," Star said quietly.

"Where?' it said in a dark malice voice that made the Gear felt a shiver crawl up her spine.

"The Changeling Kingdome. With you on our side you cou-" Starlight was cut off when all five of us appeared entirely somewhere else. Where it was nighttime before now looks like mid-morning. I still didn't know what to think anymore. ' _Fucking magic_.' Her helmet was also back on which confused me again, and the two other unicorns in my company were loaded with traveling bags. Trixie even had her magic hat and cape on too.

"Odd..." Said Discord, looking over the area that he brought us here before picking up a boulder over its head. "I was trying to take us right to Fluttershy, but there is no Fluttershy." He said as it's eye's literally popped out of its head 'literally' to search underneath it before dropping it. Trixie then lets out a small whine she looked on ahead of us.

"I think I have a pretty good of where she might be," She said as her voice rose to a near pitch. Looking over the small cliff nearby, then we all saw what Trixie was getting at.

In the distance stood a spire like a castle. The building just looked menacing and had a 'bad guy lives here' vibe. From top to bottom the place was covered in holes. To me, this looked like the least stable building I had ever see. If I didn't know any better, it looked like it was shot full arsenal of centaurs. If that's the place we have to go into then at least getting in might be easier then thought. Thorax, on the other hand, was voicing his thoughts about that place when he caught sight of it.

"I hope that I never had to see that place again, now what?" He asked as all eye's turned to Starlight and me hoping for an answer. Starlight looked like she was about to panic again while I just let out a 'sigh' of frustration. One Gear, two civvies, a defector and a self-proclaim God. Is supposed to storm the defectors former home to rescue not one, not two but several princesses and a few other VIP's out from that place? Two words popped in mind about the situation.

"Well fuck."


	9. Chapter 9

_The Badlands, the edge of the Changeling Kingdome_

 _Abigail POV_

Discord was first out of the five of us to talk next, complaining about his misbehaving power. "Oh This is so strange, we're here, and that's there and not here." He said in a matter of fact voice.

"Oh I can probably explain-"

"Oh well if the first you don't succeed." Discord said interrupting whatever valuable intel the Changeling defector. He was about to snap his paw when it enclosed in Starlight's aqua magic.

"Maybe we should come up with a plan first?" She stated simply.

"I second that." I agreed.

Discord then just blew on Starlight's magic off his paw like it was dust before looking down at the mare. "A what?" he asked in a questionable tone. His attitude was starting like this guy less than the changelings at the speed of stupid he has going.

"You know, figuring out the best way to do something before you actually do it," Trixie explained in a clear matter of fact voice. Discord just laughed at the magician.

"HA ha, that's adorable you, but I can do anything." He boosted while stroking his ego.

"Actually," Thorax tried talking again but silenced by Discord's paw again.

"That's all very nice but really a waste of time, we have me and what else could we possibly need?'

"Maybe two garrisons worth of troops with a support company in reserve. A platoon of Centaur battle tanks and a squadron of King Raven assault transports and maybe a squad of Onyx Guard troops would put me at ease in this situation." I said while I took out my longshot to take a closer look at the changeling castle before looking back at her group. Starlight, Trixie, and Thorax looked at her with confusion while Discord looked at her in annoyance.

"Why are you here again? I mean come on what are you going to do? You're in a new world, in a new body with magic that is as weak as a new-born foal, and these otherworldly gadgets you have could break like twigs if you didn't take care of them properly." He explained while he reached out grabbing her Lancer. Before I could protest and he pulled the trigger, and unleashing a stream of confetti paper out its barrel, making me like the changelings more than Discord. "At least my magic can do something." He boasted. I then snatched her Lancer back and hoped that was just a simple magic trick that he pulled and didn't fuck up her weapon. Otherwise, I will demonstrate to him what I did those changelings. Thorax then tried to speak again but was altimetry interrupted.

"The thing about magic here-" By Discord of all things with another snap of his paw.

"Like this!"

Now, I have had heard the term 'bringing in the Calvary' before but what I saw made me want to smash and bang my head on the ground. Repeatedly. Till I lose brain function.

There floating in front of us was Discord riding on a flying pig, wearing green face paint while wielding a lance that he thrust into the sky with a haft joking war cry. "For Fluttershy!"

' _I swear, when all this is over, I'm going to see if I can help that poor girl put a restraining order on this guy. Stocker alert._ ' I added to her mental notebook checklist.

As soon as he flew off Discord let out a cry of surprise when his magical pig and Lance diapered in a poof of blue smoke. While he, himself fell and nearly missing cliff by grabbing hold to the edge of the steep slope. Starlight and I quickly rushed to the self-proclaimed god and dragged him back up. Discord now on his 'feet' about-faced to look at the changeling hive, giving the place a look like it insulated his cousin or something. Snapping his paw once more created another flying pig by his side and directed it to fly to their-their destination. Like before when the Pig got close to it before it also faded into blue smoke. Confusing everyone. Thorax, on the other hand, knew what was going on.

"I've been trying to tell you nothing other then changeling magic works here!" That bit got everyone's attention. "Chrysalis throne is carved from an ancient dark stone that soaks up outside magic the same way changelings soaks out love. It's how she keeps the hive save." He explained.

"And keeps beings like Discord away and making any magic related attack, powerful or otherwise that come's near her home a guaranteed failure. Really wish I had that tank platoon right about now." I commented.

Starlight then went to the cliff edge; her horn glowed with her magic till it flew away towards the hive when her horn crossed the invisible line. Making herself everyone present a little hesitant about this attack. Trixie was the first to one commit on the situation, "So... what kind of plan were you thinking?"

Studying Starlight's expression, or confusion and worry, without using magic all her life side a few days ago. I couldn't imagine what a difficult task had formed on her friend. "Without magic, I have no idea." Starlight said before her face changed to determination when she looked back to meet us. "But nopony else is coming so somepony better come up with something?" She told them.

I then thought for a moment to proses what I knew. An evil queen bug bent on would control, took nearly a dozen prisoners and are being held against their will and without knowing what the condition they're in. Also the fact that there is a castle full of beings that could change into anyone at will and a stone throne that cancels out all magic besides changeling magic. Their objectives were clear, but it was the what and how that I need more info on.

"Thorax," I called, catching the look of the defector and everyone's attention.

"Yes?"

"This Queen's throne, do you know where it's located?" I asked.

"Yes, it's the throne room at the top of the hive. It's where Chrysalis leads and can control most of the hive from and it is well defended." He explained.

"And is also their last line of defense if there was ever an attacked, clever girl. What about the captives? Where would you think she will be holding them?" I questioned the changeling. Thorax thought for a moment before answering.

"Normally changelings don't take ponies to the Hive, in less they found the Hive themselves. They are then taken somewhere in the area in the Badlands to be harvest for their love. For those who find the Hive, they are taken inside the Hive, then go to the collective to have their minds are wiped to secure the Hive's location." He continued to explain when his eyes narrowed. "But if it is someone as important like Princess Cadence and Twilight, Chrysalis would want to make sure they can't ever escape." he finished.

"Like say near the throne room?" Starlight added to the conversation. Thorax then lit up at that.

"Yes! Chrysalis spends the most of her time in the throne room. Having them there near her, she can watch them herself, so they never escape!" He said happily, before realizing how the odds were stacked against them. "They would also be cocooned, so they can't get out."

"Thorax, if we can destroy the throne can we get our magic back?" Starlight asked.

"Uh huh," Thorax chirped.

Discord, on the other hand, didn't look that convinced. "That's a terrible plan. How are we even supposed to get to the hive?"

Trixie was the one who answered him next. "We walk." in a simple fact voice. Before following everyone down the slope to the changeling hive.

Discord just continued complaining about walking next. "I haven't walked that far in a millennia!" He cursed. Making everyone else present 'groan' in frustration of the mismatched god, ' _This is going to be a long walk_ ' Abby thought dryly before taking out some nylon string with her magic.

"Aren't you coming, Abby?" Starlight stopped and saw what I was doing. I lifted up the nylon into Starlights view.

"I really wish I had my fingers otherwise I wouldn't have to do this." I then took the nylon and threaded it through the trigger assembly and looped it around the trigger in a knot. "When we go in there, the only thing I can really do with my weapons is to use them as clubs, and without my magic, I can't fight them effectively. By doing this, I can at least use my Lancer to some extent while we're in there." I explained to her friend as she showed her what she had done. "All I got to do is tighten this cord to allow me to fire. Now I'm not entirely useless nor defenseless." I said proudly of my little experiment.

* * *

About ten minutes of walking were the limit of silence we got before Discord decided to whine again about walking. "I don't know how many of you manage not being able to disappear and reappear whenever you want."

"Well, I for one 'definitely' miss you being able to 'disappear." Trixie comeback, sounding annoyed with the Discord. Starlight then acted as the voice of reason between the two.

"Give Discord a break. None of knew we were able to use magic." She explained.

"I did," Thorax said sounding guilty.

Starlight then went in front of our group to get everyone's attention. "If we get separated it might make sense to have a way to make sure we are who we say we are."

"Like the challenge phased and counter-military units use in case of group separation. Good idea Star." I praised. Making the mare blush slightly at the praise she received.

"Oh like a secret code how about if I say 'we are' and you 'doomed.'" He stated cheerily.

' _Yep, on the shit list_.' I declared silently.

"Or if I say 'rescue' you say 'whoa!" He shouted as he yelled as he tripped and fell to the ground.

"How about you say 'klutzy' we say 'draconequus'" Trixie stated.

"Klutzy draconequus? Works for me!" Starlight approved.

"I'll definitely remember it." Thorax agreed.

"Not very professional but if it works for you guys, then that's all that matters," I commented before following along with the rest. Discord was giving them the stink eye.

* * *

Another ten minutes of walking and the group only made it to a fourth of the way to the hive. For a few moments, I found Trixie had been sporting glances my way as if she wanted to ask me something but choosing not to. Deciding to break the ice and the boredom I went and made the first move. "Yes, Trixie?" I said making the magician look the other way.

"Oh um, I was just wondering?"

"Yes?"

"Are you really from another world?" Trixie asked. "Discord earlier said that you are in a new world and called your stuff otherworldly. I have my doubts but since I've known Twilight and the elements, knowing Starlight and Discord. You not being from this world is not out of the ballpark of weird."

I laughed, "That's alright. If our places were switched, then I wouldn't believe it either, and yes I am from another world called Sera."

"And you are a pony there too?"

"No I wasn't, I didn't become a pony till I got magically transported here by Twilight. According to her, it was an accident, and she has no idea why I transformed into one of you either. Whether it was or it wasn't intentional I'm here today because of it" I explained to Trixie.

"Why?" Thorax said joining the conversation. "Were you in danger?"

"Oh yeah... A big major life-threatening situation went on alright just before Twilight got me. If she been a few seconds slower, I would have been vaporized a big bomb blast wave or be buried alive." I told the changeling.

"What were you doing that made you get nearly killed like that?" Starlight questioned, now joining in. Discord walked in as well but didn't say anything just listened in. ' _Well everyone is looking at me, might as well give them a story to pass the time_ ' I decided with a mental shrug.

"Well, I guess I can tell yea what happened that led to the events that led me here, not like it matters in this world. My mission at the time was for me and my platoon to scout over this mining town that was supposed to be abandoned. The town itself was evacuated of civilians when the Locust were near the town. Only a few stubborn locals stayed behind. We hit a few snags reaching the town but eventually made it. When we were securing a few building a couple of trimmers rocked the house, then a sinkhole opens up sending me to an underground cave system we call the Hollow."

"I then had to fight for my life alone, against a few patrols of Locust. After beating them and nearly dying a few times in the process using hit and run tactics, Then suddenly, an explosion accrued near me making me fall off the edge of a cave wall I was on. Then suddenly I'm on some stone table surrounded by the elements, Spike and Starlight here" I pointed at Starlight. Trixie stopped the Gear with a question.

"What's the Locust?" she asked.

I had already told Starlight this and the elements who and what the Locust were, so this shouldn't be hard. "The Locust are the evilest of monsters of my world, two-legged walking worms with teeth made for ripping flesh and claws that can rip your leg out of its socket," I said. "We didn't know they even existed until they attacked us unprovoked when we just finished another war we had with another nation only weeks prior. Now we've been at war for 14 years with few victories for us to celebrate." I finished explaining.

Starlight looked at me with sadness in her eyes, having already heard what the war had done to her people. Trixie and Thorax looked a little scared and at awe from the Gear. "So yea that's the Locust in a short brief."

A minute or two passed by before Trixie spoke to the Gear again with another question. "I don't suppose you been on a few rescue missions have you?" She asked me. I gave Trixie a nod that she had.

"Do you mind telling us one?" She asked.

That got me thinking; they were about near haft the way there so a quick story couldn't hurt. "Sure why not? Nothing better to do while we walk. How about I tell you guys the role I played in the evacuation of Ilima City. That should be long enough tail for me to tell till we reached the base of the hive."

* * *

 _(10 A.E.) Ilima City_

Like any other day the year the sun would shine on the land with its golden rays. The Locust saw otherwise. A Kryllstorm was heading there way. They had just gotten word that the locust had just arrived and was using Seeders throughout different parts of the city they occupied in and were covering the sky with Nemacyst so they can ink it more, accelerating Kryll storm that was coming.

"Williams! Bowden! Take the right side barricade. Nylund! B.K! to the left side! Buckell, position yourself, so you have a clear shot with that Longshot of yours. Greg get on that turret! Vay, you're with me. To your positions people go!" I ordered my men. One by one they were where they needed to be.

"Moving Sargent!" was their reply. Putting her finger on the helmets communicator, she radioed to HQ.

"Control, this Whisky three. The I-20 exit leading to Ephyra is clear, tell any evacuation site that still has any refugees left to send them, though."

"Roger that Whisky three..." Said a young female voice over in her helmet. "New orders for you Whisky three. You are to hold that exit point till those refugees are, though. Papa three and Bravo four are in route with their groups in tow. Kilo five is also near your position but is engaged with Locust forces and are falling back to your location from the southwest." He informed her. "When the last group is at your location, you are to evacuate yourselves with them and leave for Ephyra with Kilo five

"Roger control, Whisky out." I radioed over before cutting off.

She then waved Vey over and together they took a wall to the southwest. "Alight Gears, we hold this point till everyone gets out. So dig in for we might be here for a few," I advised to my men. I got no arguments from them as they got conferrable on their walls while looking out for the grubs.

About a few minutes into the wait the sound of gunfire could be heard nearby. "Look alive out their Gears here they come!" I ordered. Raising my Lancer up over the edge of the wall, I looked down my sights. I saw the view of several Gears running to their position. Trailing a whole lot of grubs.

"Give them covering fire!" I shouted while also laying down a stream of bullets. My squad's attack was enough to bog them down for a moment so Kilo five could make it to their barricaded some of then not looking good. What I assumed was the squared leader took up a position next to me, sending down bullets of hie to the fray.

"Sargent Evans, Kilo five," he said in a heavy accent.

"Sargent Terrell, Whisky three. Is this all of you?!" I shouted over the gunfire.

"Yea this all I have. What's your plan?!" He asked before firing a burst from his Lancer killing a drone.

"We need to hold this road here! A few elements are still evacuating the area and need to come to this exit to leave the city!" I told him before sighting on another drone.

"What about our extraction?!"

"Hitchhike on the last group and get the hell out!" I answered from behind cover.

"Works for me!" He said as he shoots at another drone.

With the two squads combined fire, they soon took down the Locust wave. When the last drone was taken care of, I radioed command. "Command this Whisky."

"This is control, go ahead Whisky." said the same male voice from earlier.

"Kilo five just linked with us and are adding in securing the exit ramp. Do you have a statics update on the on the evacuees?" I asked to control.

"Roger Whisky three, Bravo Four should be with you soon with their group soon. Papa three has been delayed to pick up another civilian and will exit with you." Control explained. The sound of heavy tires ripping asphalt soon reached the Gears ears, followed by several APC's.

"Roger control, Bravo four just arrived." I then watched as they drove by one by one till the last one stopped in front of us. The front suddenly opened up, and a white armored Gear looked at us.

"We have some room in here for any wounded you guys got. Any takers?" Asked the medic trooper.

My squad was still in good shape, but two of Sargent Evens' Gears had to go, which brought their numbers down to fourteen. With the medics, APC loaded they booked it out and made their way to catch up with the other transports.

It wasn't long before the two squads of Gears could see Reavers flying in the distance. A sign that the fighting was about to hit them. "Get ready men!" Sargent Evens called out while I radioed control,

"Control this Whisky, what's the ETA of that last evac convoy?" A moment later they replied back.

"They are nearing your position now Gears, stand by for immediate extraction. Be advised; a large Locust force is nearing your AO. Hold on down there; this is going to be close."

"Roger control. We'll hold out for them as long as possible." I then looked in the direction of where the sound of something heavy hitting the ground. Looking over the southern barricade, my paled at the fifty-foot tall white monstrosity that was walking towards her barrier.

"BRUMAK!"

If there was ever a time to lose one's shit, then now was it. The sergeant, along with the other five Gears that were on the same barricade fired everything they had at the incoming fifteen thousand kilogram monster that was strolling its way to them. Their Lancers barely did anything to the beast as it neared them. When it was only two blocks away, it let out a massive roar followed by raining down a few rockets at our position. A multitude of exploding impacts went off around me, throwing chunks of dirt into the air. "Greg! Get that god damn turret on that Brumak, now!" I ordered.

A steady stream of tracer rounds flew off above her, hitting the beats face thus destroying its mask that it wears and making it scream out in pain. Its response was to fire back with its two machine guns that have been attached to its forearms blindly. Making everyone take over as its fire went everywhere. "Focus fire on that things weapons!" Sargent Evens ordered, his Lancer already shooting at the Brumak's limbs.

Letting loose a stream of bullets, I along with the others Gears, saw their work slowly paying off. With its mask damaged it was next to blind, and its riders were having a difficult time trying to keep it from going berserk.

"Control, Whisky! I've got a Brumak about to go on a rampage right through my AO! Requesting authorization for Hammer Strike fire usage!" I called over the radio. It didn't take long to get a reply back.

"Copy Whisky... Be advised your team is not equipped with a targeting laser, so you have to use the 'Mobile Command Center' to direct your targeting. Hammer of Dawn platform three seven getting in position now" Control explained.

Looking back behind her, I saw the 'Mobile Command Center' they had earlier in the day. Making a b-line for MCC, I had to dodge and keep down from the wildfire that the Brumak was dishing out. Taking hold of the MCC controls the screen blinked once before an orbital view the fighting came up. Working the controls the Hammers crosshairs moved right over the area they were fighting in with her target coming on screen. Witha gods eye view of the Brumak that was raging down of where I was at. "Gears take cover; I'm bringing down the Hammer!" I called out to my fellow Gears as I worked the controls.

A moment later red orbital lines were seen in the sky over the Locust's best before an inferno of fiery red death impacted it, setting it slightly ablaze with before its rocket back exploded killing the creature. When the explosion had subsisted it, I let up on the dawn controls. Outside she could hear her Gears cheering at their small victory against the beasts that torment them. I had to smile at that rarely had the COG in recent times have had any successes that were called for. I didn't think of this as one because they were still retreating out of the city, so the victory felt hollow to her.

"Whisky three, this is Papa three. Your ride is here, get on board and let's get out of here." Said the male voice Papa three. Soon a dozen APC's then showed up down the road they have been guarding drove into their line of sight.

"Control, this Whisky three, Papa three has arrived at the city exit. Whiskey and Kilo are now extracting from Lima city. We're done here" I informed to control.

"Roger Whisky, come on home."

* * *

My story did its job of letting time pass by as their 'unique' group of five were now at the base of the changeling castle. The others had listened to my tale and asked questions on a few things as to what I was fighting. They didn't know it, but I knew my companions, even Discord had felt a little bit at ease that there was someone that could actually fight with them.

Sighting a pair of Changelings guards in blue beetle like armor we went around them in the hope that we were not spotted, Thorax waved us to the side where a small opening in was at on the wall.

' _How undisciplined and foolish these grubs are compared to the Locust._ ' I thought. ' _A hole this big in their perimeter with no one guarding or sealing it? Sloppy_ '

Thorax flew through the hole with co following. When all of them were in, they could only stare at the living walls that seemed to move by themselves. "Ok, I'm defiantly glad you came," Trixie said in concern. "I don't think we'll find our way without you."

I nodded my head to silently agreed with the blue mare on this. The place looked like it was out of a movie to me. Thorax then pointed behind them at the way they came in. "You definitely wouldn't." The rest of us looked back at the way we just came in and saw it closed up within seconds leaving no trace of there ever being a hole there in the first place, making them all now trapped in the hive.


	10. Chapter 10

_Badlands, Changeling Hive_

 _Abigail POV_

"Um, where's the way out?" Trixie asked the changeling.

"It's a changeling hive it shifts and changes like we do and were the only ones who can navigate it" He demonstrated by walking to a wall as it seemingly opens as he got close. "It's total chaos to non-channelings." We all followed are now 'essential' guide very closely so none could get separated. I had to voice my thoughts from earlier.

"That explains why there weren't many guards outside. My first impression of this place was the lack of security at the front, given its size; A place like this with a defense system built into like that can be a very useful tool."

"Well, I call it decent chaos I don't know about, total." Discord commented.

"Maybe not from your point of view but from mine I can defiantly say this place can bring out the crazy in some people," Abby told the spirit of chaos.

"Oh do enlighten me. I like to hear what you have to say about this 'lovely' place we're in," Discord pestered. The kept keeping pace with their guide while she explained.

"Again from a military standpoint, this would make so much confusion it makes running messages between groups near impossible if they don't know where to go. Frustration and paranoia would slowly reek havoc on the mind. In short, they go insane.

Simple as that. The guy or gal could have an extreme mental fortitude; but with time against them, places like this could make'um go mad and start attacking anyone they see. Or be quickly subdue due to an ambush, the list goes on." I said and quietly hoped that any of those options never happen while they are in this place. As I scanned the changing corridors for its inhabitance, the cave-like theme this place has reminded me of the Hollow.

"I can see that happening. I once pulled a similar trick on Twilight and her friends into thinking that I hid the elements in a maze. I took their horns and wings away and made them lose who they were. That was a fun time." Discord said with some pride. "I brought them down; made them fight and betray each other, making Twilight lose faith in her friends. Oh, it was such a good plan too. Don't you all agree?"

A moment of silence soon followed the group as they stared at the guy with different levels of crazy. I then proceeded to scratch out my mental to-do list of him and placed him as a "priority one'" must on getting that multiple restraining orders for Fluttershy against Discord. I did not trust this guy with the brain chemistry that this Discord guy has.

* * *

Up and down the halls and stairways we went as we venture deeper into Thorax's old hive. My mind couldn't help but wonder what had this place been like growing up with him? What was changeling school like for their young? Did they even have a school here? What about culture? From what I have seen so far from the past twenty minutes they've been walking around, they hadn't seen any that indicate such things. I had yet to see anything that even hinted of a residential home in this place. What do they sleep in cubby holes or to some similar degree a barracks maybe? More and more questions came to mind as we travel. But one stood out like a tall Boomer in a room, so I decided to address it. "Ok this may sound a little late in the game but Thorax, where are they?"

Thorax looked taken back at the Gears question, "Who? Our friends? We already-"

"No no not them. The other changelings?" I clarified. So far the only changelings they've seen besides their guide was when they got here was at the front of this place. "We have been walking for nearly haft an hour and haven't seen any of your kind inside what gives?"

"Oh there around."

"... What?" I said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, they around somewhere. Most Changelings in the hive live in the center or the top of the hive's towers, so they are closer to the queen. Few live in the outer parts of the Hive. Which is where we are now." He explained making me slightly relaxed, but then another question came to mind.

"But why leave so much unusable space between them and the outside? Is there a difference between living here than the rest of the hive?"

"Haven't you felt it yet? The closer we get to the middle the warmer the air is." Now that stopped me. I may be in full body armor, but I did feel the air be a bit warmer than before now that he mentioned it. "The center of the hive and the central tower is coated in a special gel we make and use to keeps the Hive at a stable temperature. It is very difficult to make, so we only use it in areas we use the most inside the hive. Like where we sleep and the hatchery." He then pointed towards a section of changing wall that opened up to reveal a wall of light green crystals poking out. "The gel crystallize over time and heats up its surroundings making the hive a much more livable space for changelings."

"We also need to be careful from now on, so we don't get caught by a changeling patrol."

"Patrols?!" I said in surprise. "Patrols are running through these tunnels? When were you going to tell us this?!".

Thorax had a look of sadness and embarrassment. "Sorry, it's just that being here is not fun for me. It's making me forget things and remember stuff I wish to forget." He answered. "The last time I was here doesn't help either."

"What did happened the last time you were here, Thorax?" Starlight asked.

His gaze shifted to her with a sad look. "I proposed to others in the hive that kidnapping and invading others home's shouldn't be the way to get love anymore. That all we're doing is causing hatred and sadness, the emotions that we changelings hate. When the queen found out about me and my intentions she sent guards to bring me in for a public execution." He said sadly.

' _Damn_ ' I thought. Even if Thorax couldn't see it, I was giving the changeling a sad look. To me, Thorax was his people's version of a stranded. Abandoning one's home to survive another day in its aftermath of something horrible, but what I do not know. There was also another look in his eye, though they may be different creatures, she'd seen that look many times before over the years of the war, and I saw it again in the eyes of another in a different reality. How lucky was I?

"I barely had time to escape. I would have been killed if I wasn't warned before hoofed by my... hatch mate..." He stopped to look away as a few tears began to form in his eyes. Only I was able to notice this as the others pressed on the subject.

"Your hatch mate..? What's that mean?" Trixie questioned, making Thorax even sadder.

"Hatch mates are formed during our time in our clutches. The ones who are the closest together with strong bonds. "Most become strong like a brotherhood or sisterhood... Some are more. Much more." He explained while small tears left his face for all to see. The rest now saw what I knew all too well.

Loss. The look of defeat. The sight of watching someone you care deeply for, only to be torn away from. The view of seeing an innocent death. Moving to intercept, I cut Thorax off and stood to face the front of the hurt changeling. Removing her Onyx helmet and setting it aside I looked eyes with Thorax.

"What was her name?"

"... Cazador... Her name was, Cazador... She was strong and could wield the strength of five changelings. The strongest drone from our small clutch. The other haft to my existence, the love of my life..." Tears flowed freely from now from his face as he closed his eyes in a vain attempt to stop them. A sight that I had seen from thousands of others, and from herself.

"She was the only one who understood me... The only one who would stand with me, who gave up her time for someone as weak as I am... The only one who saw me worthy of being with her despite how weak I am. More so than the others in our clutch."

I put a hoof on the changeling's shoulder. Making him look back at my face. "What happened?" I asked in an emotionless tone. I could see in the corners of my vision that the others in their group had formed up behind Thorax as their looks were focusing on them. "Tell me what happened?"

"...We were going to leave together. Start a new life outside the hive. We were going to leave in secret. Get away from the others by leaving under cover of night, to avoid detection. But somehow they found out about the plan and came for me, but didn't know till Cazador heard them coming for us and told me to go, so we ran. But they got to her." By this point, he was staring deep into my eyes. Even if he lacked pupils, I could still see the sadness that he showed to me.

"What went wrong?"

"They came and collapsed the tunnel we were in and landed right on top of us; they were probably hoping for the rubble would kill us. Instead, it separated us. I got trapped outside the Hive, and Cazador was stuck inside. I watch through a crack in the wall as her fight other changelings through a small crack in the wall... I watched her fighting a bunch of other changelings before being restrained to the floor by a lot of changelings before Queen Chrysalis herself came down and approached her. She called her a traitor to the Hive for listening to my beliefs and sucked her dry of whatever love she carried inside." From the memories he was telling was heartbreaking.

"To do such a thing is almost instant death for changelings. When I saw that, I ran! I ran and ran so far and so fast I couldn't look back!" He wailed in my face. Thorax was silent for a few seconds before speaking again.

"When I finally stopped, I was tired and low on love. I felt cold, lonely, and afraid. I was surrounded by snow and mountains as far as the eye could see. It was only then done I realized I was up in the frozen north near the Crystal Empire where I soon met Spike and befriend ponies."

I steeled myself and showed no tears. Putting her another hoof on Thorax I dragged him over and embraced the crying changeling in a tight hug. A moment later Thorax buried his muzzle into my neck and cried profusely on my armor as he held on to me for dear life. While I just sat there, holding the changeling. Literally, over an hour ago, I was ready to kill this guy for what he was. Now here I was keeping him up as he spilled his guts out in front of others.

Looking over Thorax's shoulder, I caught the sight of the others. Discord had a look of sadness on his face, Trixie was tearing up a storm. When I looked at Starlight, she saw the pain in her eyes. I made a mental note to hug her later. Turning back to Thorax, he had stopped the waterworks and as looking up at her. He gave one last sniffle before giving the Gear a sad smile. "Thank you, Abigail. For putting up with me."

"No problem grub boy. I would have loved to have met this 'Cazador.' She sounds like someone I would've got along with just fine. Fighting till the end that way to give you a chance at a new life. Sacrifice is something that every soldier has to be willing to give. For her to give her self up for you means that she really cared about you. With you coming back here, risking your life to save another. I bet you my rank she will be nothing but pried for you for what you are doing now." I patted his shoulder as they broke off, leaving one foreleg still on him to keep his focus on her. "I have witnessed and listened to hundreds of others about lose. You are not the first one I've seen who has suffered and brought down from actions of loss for another, nor will it be the last." I then leaned in and gave the bug another warm hug. "But you're among the few that I've seen who decided to stand back up." I parted from him, a small smile crossing her face. "Will rescue our friends and if possible, we'll bring that bitch of a Queen down a few notches to. So lead us on then, those they've taken aren't going to rescue themselves now are they?" I finished with a haft grin.

Thorax just looked at me in awe. He put a holed hoof to his face to wipe away the tears he looked back at the gear with a new determination in his eyes as waved his hoof over to follow him. Discord and Trixie followed him down the hallway they've been traveling. Starlight stopped by my side and held a smile on her face. "That may be the best motivational speech I've ever heard. You could probably give the princesses a run for their bits in that department. The topic may have started out bad, but that was a very good thing you just did for him." Starlight nodded in approval. I gave her a sad smile.

"I've seen what's happens to those who are consumed with grief like him and many others in my life. It can destroy them in more the one ways. It's never easy to move on from that, some people can't even fathom what simple thing like a hug could do for a person that's hurting. To break them down and try to build them back up or simply hear their tale. You know I too became like Thorax after the 'hammer strikes,' and with seeing everything, I held dear destroyed." A small tear was beginning to form from under her eye from the memories. "It took someone else who was suffering like I was, who was stronger than me, to do me as I did for Thorax. I respect that man even now after all these years and thank him again now and then when pass by him."

I stopped myself as Starlight did something that surprised me wholeheartedly. Starlight kissed me on the cheek.

Starlight then took my Onyx helmet and planted it back on my head. "I'll remember that, and when we're done here, I'll very much like to hear more about come on we are falling behind." Starlight said, smiling with a small noticeable blush on her cheeks. I myself could feel herself blushing from the unicorns action. If my helmet were still off her face would have been one of shock. No one had ever gotten the drop on me like that before and now got a bit flustered from that alone.

' _Maybe things wouldn't be so bad if she stayed in this world._ ' she thought happily of the way things were going.

I then went on to chase my group down. Getting to them, I heard Discord talking again in his usual annoying voice. "Are we sure I'll get my magic back when we destroy this throne thingy?"

"If Thorax is right. Then yes" Starlight replied to the draconequus.

Discord didn't look convicted. "Well, that's reassuring."

"But how are we supposed to destroy it when we find it?" Trixie asked next. Both of them looking to Starlight for an answer. Starlight didn't look confident. "I... don't know."

"That's reassuring." Trixie was then distracted as Discord was searching through the show mares pack.

"I don't suppose to brought any throne destroying tools along with these useless sideshow props." Thus the bickering begins.

"Says the 'Lord of Chaos,' who can't go for a walk without whining nonstop."

 _Wahoo! Burn_ '

"Yes, but when the throne is destroyed. I'll be able to rip the very fabric of reality to save our friends; while you still be a self-absorb below averaged illusionist." He said in a 'matter of fact' tone as he pulled the mares pointy hat over her eyes.

' _Ouch, back burn._

Pushing her hat back up, Trixie looked to the draconequus in anger "Self-absorbed?! Why you-"

"Cut. It. Out!"

Starlight said as she pushed the two apart. "I'm barely keeping it together. It would be wonderful if you two could actually help instead of figuring like fouls." She schooled, then walked up the stairs. With me and the others falling in from behind.

"Ok" "How can we help?" The two replied.

"Don't ask me I couldn't even handle giving advise at the sunset festival and I had magic then. And the three of us are as good as useless. At least, Abigail, has her weapons and Thorax knows where we're going." She said as we caught up with Thorax.

"Um, guys? I think we're lost?" He said as the rest the group entered a vast open space. The sound of an armored hoof meeting a steel helmet could be heard echoing off the walls.


	11. Chapter 11

_Badlands, Changeling Hive_

 _Abigail's POV_

* * *

"Thorax... Explain to me why are we lost?" I said, trying to keep my voice down. "Because how can we be lost in a home that you use to live in? For most of your life, I might add." His reply was too shy away from the Gear fearing what I would do to him.

"Oh great," Trixie said with a small fit as she threw her bag to the side. "We might as well just sit here and wait for the changelings to soak up all of our _love_ or whatever gross thing that they do. How often do you all get hungry?" Trixie asked from her spot on the floor.

Thorax rubbed a hoof at his chin, making him look like he was thinking up an answer before he spoke back. "Actually, I haven't been hungry since I met Spike, and changelings are always hungry? We can never get enough love." The changeling explained. But the gears in my head was turning at what Thorax had said.

' _What did he mean by not being hungry anymore?_ ' And I wasn't the only one to think the same thing.

"Well that's just super-" Trixie began to say before Starlight shoved a hoof into her mouth, silencing the mare.

"But you aren't hungry at all now?" Starlight questioned, making Thorax think again of his own words.

"Huh.. Once I made a few friends I guess I just sort of forgot about the whole feeding thing," he chirped with a buzz of his shiny wings.

"Is that about the same time your wings changed?"

"I guess so?" He said showing them off to her. My mind felt like I was starting to piece together a puzzle at what I'd been hearing and seeing.

' _Force feeding on others emotions? Endless hunger for emotions, shapeshifting magic, queen hell bent on domination of others species? Now Thorax's wings and his end of hunger? Something here ant right with this picture. Like looking at two different sides of the same coin. With this Queen on the one hand and Thorax on the other. One for endless hunger and the other for something good?_ ' I thought, trying to make sense of it all. It was as if Thorax might have stumbled onto something, something that was kept hidden from changelings in general. What that is exactly still eluded her.

I mentally sighed at her thinking. "Why can't everything that enthralls magic be simple in this wretched world?" She muttered to no one.

"While I would love to sit around chit-chatting about feeding and not feeding. I have a Fluttershy to SAVE!" His voice boomed off the walls.

My eyes went from hole to hole in the walls waiting for any enemies to pop out. Drawing the Lancer, I quickly tried to cover as much ground I can. Meanwhile, I could hear, Trixie bickering with the most prominent stalker on this plane of existence. "Can you _please_ lower your voice...! you're going to get us all captured!" She hissed.

Discord, on the other hand, didn't look concerned as he looked around. "You keep saying that, but I haven't seen an actual changeling since we got into this hive." A low buzzing sound that hummed in the air and could be heard as it echoed off the walls meaning one thing to the Gear.

' _They know we're here._ '

"What's that?" Trixie hesitantly asked.

"An alarm," I said simply as she leveled her Lancer in the direction of the noise. "They know someone has invaded the Hive and are now coming this way. Everybody thank Discord before the firefight begins."

Thorax stood straight with panic. "A changeling patrol!"

Stealth was now no longer an option at this point thanks to Discord's stupidity; they know someone has invaded there home. "Don't worry people. We knew this was bound to happen when we came here. Stick behind me and prepare to fight if they get close. This is about to get ugly."

As soon as I said that two changeling came out around the corner. I hadn't tried shooting with hooves like this as it felt like trying to shoot with a rifle all over again. From another standpoint, it might have made her look like she was firing from the hip as she was trying to aim. Letting a small burst of fire; I got lucky in catching the first bug in the head and fell down in one of the changing wall holes before it closed back up. The second one didn't see what happened to his compatriot, so it just continued to fly at them. With the Drone coming closer in fast, The former Onyx guard pulled the secondary charging handle down on the Lance and revved up her chainsaw bayonet. The changing foolishly flew straight at me, probably thinking it could overpower me in some way. The last mistake it made as I brought my weapon down with a downwards left sided swing.

She just implied a tad to much force to the changeling's chest, causing the blades to stop on the changeling hard shell for a moment before continuing and ripping it apart, making it shout in pain. Pushing the changeling aside, I watched as it slipped off the edge and fell into the darkness below. Looking back at my group, Discord had a look of relief on his face while Trixie looked at me in horror, probably cause of how quickly she deposed of the two changelings. Starlight was at Thorax side trying in an ill attempt to calm him down at the panic attack he was in from the way he was breathing heavily. I had to remember that these guys were not used to the level of combat I've known for years. Fighting the grubs had made my skin tough. Compared to the other ponies of this world and me, I am hard as iron, and they are soft like fruit.

Seeing a bunch of blood and shredded guts like this was considered a normal day in the office' for me. Dealing down on those two changelings had been easier than a walk in the park for her. The sound of more changelings wings could be heard buzzing from down the tunnel the other two had just come from and from the sound of it there were more than two on the way. I wished she had a machinegun turret right about now, or at the very least more people with guns to fight.

"Now seems like one of those moments where we need a plan.." Discord said with a hint of worry in his voice. Trixie looked back at the draconequus with malice in her eyes.

"What kind of plan?! And it's not like my _illusions_ are going to save us!" She fumed.

For some reason, it looked like a lightbulb had just gone on in Starlight head to the Gear before she went up to Trixie with an exited look. "Do you have any more of your smoke bombs?" She asked the show mare. Trixie gave her friend that literally said ' _do you even need to ask?._ '

"Are you kidding?"

The sight made her smiled with a small amount of excitement behind the masked helmet. "Oh, this should be good."

* * *

Starlight quickly explained plan worked perfectly. From her hidden spot, she would cover Thorax (who disguised himself as Trixie) led the seven enemy changelings to him where he would confuse them with a disappearing act away from the real Trixie. Who'd reveal herself on the other side of the cesium and taunting them to come at her before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. All the while, the real Trixie then "reappear' in a different part of the room. They did the disappearing act well on them as well. Discord, Starlight and I will then proceed to throw their smoke bombs on random platforms confusing them to chase after the smoke. Then the changelings would see and chase after Thorax (Still looking like Trixie) while running down the passage where I will set myself a small free-fire zone for the changelings. I didn't expect for the changeling to split before they were within her kill zone. She watched as two of the changelings divided from the rest enter another passageway with the wall sealing up behind them.

' _That might be trouble later._ ' At least she shot down the others when they got into view. Like mowing the lawn as it was that easy. The first two didn't even know what hit them till it was already too late while the third and forth manage to get a look at me before falling over with a few more holes in it. The last of them got lucky at dodging her shots before charging at me. When one got in close, I rewarded him with a chainsaw bayonet slice that he never saw coming.

' _That had to be the most satisfying ambush I had ever participated in,_ ' I mused as I reloaded my Lancer with a new mag. Now I was on my way back to the others which took a little more time than the others cause I was on the other side of the big gap. It was a bit difficult for me to move around in this place without Thorax. No wonder the guy got us lost, everything in here looks the same. Couldn't they have put in some signs here or there?

Walking around another corner, I see my four comrades talking about their next move. They all see her walk up with uneasy looks as I approach them. ' _Giving the shape-shifting bugs that are around I who could blame them._ Starlight was the one who said the challenge word "Klutzy?"

Pulling off my helmet I happily gave her the counter, "Draconequus."

Everyone relaxed as they now know it was her. Except for Discord as he muttered something to himself. Starlight was the next one to talk. "Good, you've made it. Now that we're all here we can go..." She said, sounding nerviest.

I made another note of this since the start of this rescue began I keep seeing Starlight second-guessing herself. It's the same when the COG promotes someone to a leadership position in the field. It was a common thing given the way the war back home was going. Now that she thought of it, Starlight was acting like she doesn't deserve giving out her opinion on anything given how she panicked back at her village. I'll have to pull her aside at some point and talk it out with her if this keeps up.

"Do we even know where to go? Did you remember Thorax?" I asked the grub pony. Thorax shook his head.

"No, Starlight figured out those two that before they got caught in your ambush left to protect the queen. We're following them in hopes to find the throne." He explained, which made sense to me.

"And in hopes of finding the prisoners as well. Good thinking Star." I said to my friend, making sure there was a little praise in it to hear. That got Starlight to visibly relax a little and sprout a small blush from her too.

We soon found a spiral stairway leading up; we soon reached the top that led to another open area. This one not being empty as the last one. Looking around, I can hear that all the noise changeling wings made downstairs really woke up the rest of the hive up top. Several changelings were flying around in small groups in and out of random places along the walls. When the coast was clear, I waved everybody up and ascended the next flight of stairs. I didn't want to risk a firefight if I could avoid it, here with them in an open area like this with little cover. That's a disaster in of its self. With her being the only one with weapons to fight I couldn't protect everyone from everything.

After a few minutes of close calls on the way up, we reached the top. Looking over the last few steps we see a few changelings go through a massive archway with several armored changelings guarding the way. Looking closely at their armor, I could tell it was more for scare tactics then made for actual combat.

A few shots with my Lacer could take them down, but that just be ringing the bell to the whole hive.

"Now what?" Trixie asked in a hushed voice.

"We go in," Starlight replied. Thorax just ducked down and put his hooves over his head.

"Even if I wanted to! There's no way past the guards, will be spotted for sure!" Said the panicked voice of Thorax as he sat behind me

"We need some kind of distraction." Starlight suggested.

"I'm fresh out of smoke bombs," Trixie said while she searched her pack.

"I could take them out, but that would take too long and would attract more unwanted attention, and we don't need or want right now."

"Normally I'm the most distracting thing I can think of, but without magic.." Discord said sadly. Starlight, on the other hand, had a sly smile that could make my old Drill Sargent pause.

"You shouldn't underestimate yourself." Starlight answered.

A simile had formed up again behind my mask, and it was about to get fun again. I watched as Starlight pulled out a microphone'?' from Trixie's pack and lent me over to Discord. "All you've got to do is be yourself. With all the guard's attention on you, we will be able to slip by, then when they start chasing you find someplace to hide and head back here. Will wait for you." She explained. then handed over the microphone "Use that too, now get out there and do what you were made to do."

A sound plan. Especially the silent attempt of sacrificing Discord to the changelings. A bit cold I thought, but then again I was surrounded by former criminals and supervillains according to the stories Starlight had told me the other day, all trying to do good by rescuing there country's leaders and friends. Sounds like the plot of several movies to me from back when there were movies back home. This should be fun.

Herself, Starlight, Trixie and Thorax watch as Discord grabbed the mic from Starlight and walked out into the open. Once out and got the attention of the guards, Discord did something I would never think I see on a rescue mission.

Distracting the enemy, with the use of stand up comedy!

Tapping on his microphone, he addressed his 'audience.'

"Hello, changelings and changelets! Believe me; I was just as surprised as you are I'm here. When I heard I was playing for a bunch of changelings I was 'beside' myself. Then I realized it was one of you." He finished his intro with a toothy smile.

I was so happy that my face was covered as everyone would have seen her cheeks slightly puffing out from holding back my laughter. I couldn't understand why. That opening pick up was so cheesy there was enough of it to make a sixteen inch in diameter cheese wheel. So why was I about to laugh? The changeling guards, on the other hand, weren't so amused as the approached Discord. He back-upped with a chuckle before moving on to his next joke.

"Haha, but seriously this isn't the toughest crowd I've been in front of but it's definitely the easiest to bug!" That last one stopped them in confused a bit. I thought it was rather funny tho, wonder if changelings have any funny bones in them. "To bug? Is this thing on?" Discord asked as he tipped the mic. The changelings then started to advance again with looks of anger on them. Probably realized that he was making fun of them.

I and co decided now were the time to slip by the guards. We went to the archway and slipped through its cracks in the door. The voice of an outraged Discord followed us through the arch as well along with a dropped mic. "Well if you think that you can do better be my guest!" He shouted at the changelings before running off with his 'audience' in tow.

We all saw him leave with at least six guards trying to catch him as they made their way down one of the many hallways. Trixie looked at us with an unamused face decided to voice her opinion. "It is absolutely ridiculous that work."

"I don't know what you're talking about, that plan worked pretty well in my book, all that's left is for Discord is not to die or get captured and will be set," I said, giving Starlight my stamp of approval before addressing the next step. "Now, how long are we to wait for him? I don't think we can wait here forever for Discord to return."

"Will give Discord a few minutes to lose those following him then, will have to assume he's been captured."

"Thorax, are you sure this the only way up to the throne room?" I asked. He rubbed his head a little bit before answering. "Um. Well for you, yes it is. The hive is full of access tunnels, but you all won't be able to move through them, not without having wings like us changeling." He said. "Too many places to fall for someponies like you three and they are too tight to carry someone else through."

"Makes sense... Whelp how long has it been?" I said looking over to Starlight.

"Not that long but we should wait a little longer. We can't just leave him out there." Thorax was looking around between both the way they entered and the way they're going.

"We can't keep waiting for Discord. Between him, Trixie and Abigail's loud weapons. The castle would be crawling with guards soon." He told the three.

"But if we do manage to destroy Chrysalis throne we'll need him. He could take out the entire changeling army just by sneezing if he wanted to." Starlight explained. "Also with just the four of us even with magic won't be able to last long against them."

"He's probably already been captured!" Voiced Trixie in a low toned.

"Hello?"

Turning to strange voice, we see Discord come through where they came from. "Fellow rescuers?" He whispered out loud as he tried to find us.

Slightly relieved that he made it and somewhat not, we approached Discord. Thorax was looking a bit antsy to me. I also was getting a bad feeling too and did not like it. And Discords goofy, toothy smile was not helping to ease it at all. "We can't stay here we gotta find the throne." Starlight said.

At the mentioning of the throne Discords smile became more crazed like with glee. "Oh, I heard some of the changelings. Who were chasing me say that they know where it is." He stated in a child-like happy voice. All that did was set up a multitude of red flags to me as I inched a hoof towards my Lancer. Starlight and Trixie were exchanging chances before looking at her. Giving them a nod that she was ready, Trixie said the challenge word "Klutzy?"

'Discord' looked on in confusion at Trixie before he smiled again along with a giggle. "Mm? Oh ha ha ha, oh yeah I can be klutzy." His smile then became one of confusion as he stared down the muzzle of my Lancer. "What's going on, friends?" He asked the group.

I just grinned like a fool under my masked helmet at my target. "You made three mistakes." I stated directly to the 'spirit of chaos.'

"One. Did you think we were stupid to not have contingencies in place just if one of us gets captured by one of you shape shifters?" I said and was loving the small twitching that came off his face as to what he just realized he fucked up.

"Two. Discord doesn't sound like that. Discord, by questionable means, is an adult, and you make him sound like a playfully dumb seven-year-old." I then could see the panic sweat marks droppings coming down from 'Discord's' face.

"And three you may be wondering. We aren't friends with Discord. The only real friend that I know of Discords is Fluttershy, and I'm planning on putting the biggest restraining order on him for her sake and everyone else's." I could feel the shock and confused looks from the others at the mention of the restraining order but ignored them as I leveled my weapon between his eyes.

"So here's your situation. It's either A: You die looking like a peace mismatch crap or B: You can change back into whatever you looked like before and I add more holes in you. Or C: where you turn around and run for your life and don't come after us and die a horrible death. You got three seconds to decide." My trigger was starting to tug back when I said "One." After which a fast green flame covered 'Discord' to reveal the changeling under the mask. It hissed at me as it reared back to try and attack. I never gave it a chance to come forwarded.

Unloading my weapon on the changeling, turning its face and head into mush before it slumped dead on the floor. I then turned to the group behind me.

"We need to move, now!" I ordered before grabbing Thorax by his leg and dragging him from behind. He looked like was going to be sick from if the looks I was receiving but followed us and ran. I also pushed Trixie and Starlight along then pushed Thorax in front. Now I had all three of them in front of me where I can see them.

Passing by the next corridor the hum of incest wings became known and load. "Run faster!" I insisted to the others. After a good solid minute of running, we stopped at a cross junction to catch our breath. Though the hum of insect wings was still present, "They're going to be here any second anyone got a plan?" Thorax asked.

I wished I could do something. I want some god dammed frag grenades right now instead of the lone smoke I had left. Instead, I only had my Lancer that would bog them down for a short time with the few mags I had left.

"Ok. I've got this." Trixie had declared before she started walking back the way they came. "You three get ready to run when I give the signal."

"Wait, What?!" Starlight and I said together. Shocked that Trixie would propose something that stupid. They then went to stop their friend from committing suicide.

"Trixie you can't! I won't know what do! We already lost Discord and without magic? I won't lose you too!" Starlight pleaded with her friend, I joined in on the conversation butting in as well.

"Not only that but going at them yourself is beyond stupid," I told the show performer. The next thing that happened shocked me, Trixie looked at us just smiled. Not just any smile, the smile one gives to their friends for confidence.

"Starlight. You've got us this with just my illusions, Discords annoying personality and Abigail's strange magicless weapons. You don't need magic to figure out what to do next." Trixie then puts a hoof on Starlight's shoulder. "I know you're afraid to be in charge, but you're really good at it. Listen to your best friend." She then grabs Starlight and pulls her into an embrace before parting then turning to me. "Take care of her." She said quietly before turning away. I, on the other hand, had another idea in mind as I stopped with a hoof before she could run off.

"Hold a moment, Trixie," I said before pulling out some string and her pistol. "Thorax, use your magic to loop this through there and tie a not here." He looked worried for a moment before doing as he was told.

"What you doing?" Trixie asked.

"Hold out your hoof Trixie." I did so and gave the weapon to her. "Going off to fight an enemy without a weapon is stupid. You've watched how I handle my weapon, yes? It is the same thing as this, only smaller and you have to pull the trigger for each shot. Watch the kickback, or it will fly out of your hoof." I told the show mare, Trixie looked at me in slight awe before smiling.

"Thanks, Abigail."

"My friends call me Abby, Trix." I pulled her helmet off to show off her smile. "Make them work for it. My friend." I finished to the mare.

Trixie then stood up back straight and gave me a mock salute with her hoof. To which, I returned proudly before she went running off to meet the swarm.

* * *

 _Trixies POV_

' _Well this was a good idea_ ,' I thought as I ran towards the rising number of changelings.

If you would have me a year ago, I was going to be fighting changelings without my magic to give time for her friends to rescue the princesses of Equestria. Then I would have shouted at them to go away. Now, however, my mind began to wonder about all her decisions that led up to this moment. Her foalhood, becoming a traveling showmare, the Ursa minor in Ponyville. Followed by working on a rock farm, obtaining the Alicorn amulet and becoming influenced by its dark magic then later defeated and later on becoming best friends with Starlight Glimmer.

Now this, with a bunch of love sucking bug pony ready to pounce on her with only an unfamiliar weapon as her only means of defense.

Rounding the next corner, I was stopped at the sight of the hoard of changelings. When they saw me, they also stopped. A lot of them had looks of surprise.

Thinking about what I had to do, my mind suddenly thought of Discord. How Discord was probably captured because he distracted the changeling guards. Now it was my time, Trixie's time to shine.

"My turn."

The great and powerful Trixie then lifting the unfamiliar weapon up to the first changeling.

* * *

 _Abigail POV_

I then felt something tug at my heart as I watched Trixie go. Like the pit of my stomach just deepened a bit. It was probably the sight of another sister in arms going off to battle to die that made her feel this way. Setting my helmet back on, the sound of Trixie's semi-automatic pistol shots echoed down the hall. "Move!" I ordered again as they ran down the corridor again.

The hissing and wing beats of more changeling were loader this time around as more and more just kept coming. ' _Is the whole hive up here or something?!_ ' I screamed into my head. It sounded like they were everywhere and we were running out of options and room. Starlight then pointed to Thorax to the hole in the wall that went left, to which he nodded in reply before running off. Splitting up was not something I wanted to do but went with it as Starlight pointed at the hole for me that led up as Starlight went right. Deciding to go with it and worry about getting captured later, I did as asked. Running up the hole and ended up in a small labyrinth of tunnels.

"These must be the access tunnels Thorax mentioned," I muttered. Not trying to make much noise. From the way, the walls and halls looked I understood why we didn't come this way. Too many safety hazards here for those without wings and some holes looked like they could go on forever. After a moment of wondering, I heard an evil villain style laugh coming from down one of the tunnels. Making my way over, I saw that I was overlooked a large room with a throne at the end, the throne room. Then the voice started to speak made my body get goosebumps.

"One little pony all by herself."

Keeping myself hidden inside of my little hole, I up looked to where the voice was speaking. The sight of what I saw made me body go slightly cold.

Back on Sera, I heard random stranded stories of Locust taking people but never believed in them. Although if I did believe them, I would think it would be very similar to what I saw right now. There was everyone we were trying to save, all trapped in green cocoons hanging from the ceiling. I could see Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack and Spike grouped together. I also saw Trixie and Discord up there too. That gave me some comfort at knowing they were alive too. There were also others that I didn't recognize, most likely the countries leaders. Then my searched stop when two of the pods shifted to the side and out came from between them the ugliest bug I have seen in this world.

"Oh, how will I prevent this daring rescue?" The thing said in a mocking voice while upside down. Then did something that will haunt my dreams forever. Her head proceeded to twist a full one-eighty looking down at her friend.

"I need to start drinking once this mission is over," I said as I looked at the abomination of changelings.

* * *

 _I made Trixie's sacrifice similar to Grunts last stand in Mass Effect 3._

 _Like and Review plz._


	12. Chapter 12

_Badlands, Changeling Hive._

 _Abigail POV_

* * *

The two things ran through my mind I looked at the thing on the ceiling. One is how ugly this thing was. Two, that piece of shit is the queen.

' _That thing's the fucking changeling queen?!_ ' It was much larger then the others I'd seen. If I had to guess, it/she must be as tall as a boomer if I had to make a guess the queen's size. She also had dark aqua mane draped in different directions, like someone had just gotten out of a shower or something. Her eyes were also different. While the others she had seen were a solid blue her's had silted pupils, and her horn looked like a jiggered twisted sharp rock. She was the queen of the changelings, Chrysalis.

I snapped out of my thoughts many sounds of hissing from multiple changelings came from out the woodworks pored out and surrounded Starlight in an instant. I choose stealth over immediate action at the moment. Going out there now would be tacitly suicide for her and for everyone else. Where I was now holding a tactical advantage over everything and one move could be decided But still not liking it anyway.

When the bugs backed away from Starlight, I was stuck to the floor as Starlight helplessly tried to move. The queen started to hover away from the pods and down to the throne while the queen addressed her friend. "Well, well, well. The 'Princess of Friendships' sole pupal. Honestly, I didn't think you were worth replacing with one of my drones."

Starlight continued to struggle from the gunk that was on the floor. "You won't get away with this!" Starlight yelled at the Queen, which seemed only to inflate the Queen's ego more before she razed a hoof and pointed up at her captives above.

"I already have. No pony is coming to save you. Your little squad was it, and now there was just you." The queen said with glee.

"Wrong bitch, go back to school and learn to count why don't ya," I muttered before switching out the Lancer out for my Longshot. Setting my unloaded sniper to the side I reached inside in her pocket for more string. All the while I listened to the conversion going on below me. What she heard next made the smug on the Queens face vanished.

"Thorax is still out there!" Starlight answered in a comeback.

"Don't mention that traitor name in my kingdom!" The queen then flew off her throne fast at Starlight. "He was a fool to me and an even bigger fool to return. When I find him, I'll do to him like his former partner and teach him what happens to those who betrayed the hive." The queen raged before looking down at Starlight. I needed to hurry but trying to thread a string with hooves was not easy. ' _How can these ponies make shit like blankets with these fucking hooves!_ ' I screamed in my mind. The next thing the queen said made me pause to see what she was talking about.

"And it seems I don't have far to look now do I?" The queen then reared back and fired a green magic beam at Starlight.

My heart nearly stopped before a flash of green fire engulfed her quickly before revealing the bright wing changeling, Thorax underneath. "Thorax!" The Queen hissed followed by even more hissing noises from every changeling in the room.

Ok, I had to give credit where credit was due; Thorax just played everyone with his act. He fooled everyone, even me! When all this was over and were safe from being not being held prisoners for life from emotion sucking bugs, I was going to buy that guy a drink. If he can drink alcohol that is.

All the bugs hissing came to a stop when the sound of a rock banged on another rock echoing the room. Bringing everyone's attention to the throne, there the real Starlight Glimmer was pounding away at the base of the throne with a big rock in her hooves. ' _She's dedicated I'll give her that._ ' I thought of her friend. I watched as Chrysalis fired a beam of magic at her friend making her duck inside a hole in the floor.

"Very clever, and clearly Thorax revealed to you the secret to my throne. I can't have any powerful ponies using their abilities against me. Even with your rather _embarrassing_ little rescue attempt. Everything is going according to my plan " The queen of the bugs mused.

"I'm going to enjoy taking you down, just for saying that," I muttered, while still trying to tie the knot on the trigger.

' _That's right, just keep her focus on talking, Starlight. I'm almost ready for her._ ' She thought of Starlight wishing I cou...' I stopped thinking and had to suppress putting a hoof to my face. Starlight still had her radio I'd given her earlier. What a rookie mistake. Putting a hoof to my ear, I spoke softly into the mike.

"Psst, Starlight, it's Abby. I'm across the room in the wall, keep Chrysalis talking a bit longer and don't mention me, I don't think the queen knows about me, so let's keep it that way. I'm almost finished prepping to take this bitch down so don't worry you're not alone in this fight."

I saw a shadow move from inside the throne before my friend spoke again. "What plan? Why did you do all of this?" With her question asked, the Queens' head stuck in the hole where I saw Starlights shadow shift.

"So I can feed of course," The queen's head then went out and looked at her drones. "By replacing the most beloved figures in Equestria, my drones will be able to store all the love meant for them and return it here to me!" She explained in an almost comical fashion. Chrysalis then sat back down on her throne. "Everypony will do as ****I**** command and my subjects, and I will feed on their love for generations!" She up roared followed by some more evil like style laughter that soon the rest of the drones mimic.

The situation wasn't looking too good, at the way the odds were stacked against Starlight and me. For more drones popped out of the wall and surrounded the throne. Good thing I just finished her trigger pulley system.

"What if you didn't have to?" Starlight suggested

"Ridiculous!" The changeling roared before grabbing Starlight by her tail and flinging her like a ragdoll over to her drones.

Seeing her friend being tossed around like that made me simmer with anger. Whether it was the right time or not.' A quick kill with a headshot would be sufficient to shock the drones into submission, or into a killing frenzy in which we may all die... Let's find out.' She thought to herself as she loaded the Longshot.

"You know nothing! the hunger of changelings can never be satisfied." Chrysalis said as she stood over starlight before turning to face Thorax. Starlight then tried to explain to the changelings.

"Thorax left the hive and made a friend! Now he shared love, and now he doesn't need to feed." Her voice then rose up so everyone could hear her. "You don't have to live your lives starving all the time!"

Even in the face of defeat and death, Starlight finds a way to fight. I couldn't help but admire in my friend's courage. Something that her world seemed to be lacking nowadays. But there it was also something there I hadn't seen in quite a long time, hope. As plain as the Moons of Sera in its night sky, their shining light was in the eyes of her friend down there.

I couldn't help but to take my mask-guard helmet and watch my friend from afar. For some reason; at that moment, the mare I called a friend down there was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

All of that changed when she was pulled off the ground with a green light.

"You know nothing of the changelings nor what it takes to be their Queen! Nore the sacrifice I do for my subject. In fact, now that I have Thorax here with us how about we reunite him with his partner." Chrysalis said to her friends face before being thrown hard to a wall. One that was on the far side of where I was.

All eyes were then drawn to one of the holes in the room, a team of four changelings carried another holding pod over and sat it next to Crysalis. Inside was another changeling this one was slightly bigger then most but only slightly, and way more skinny. Like it has been starved for weeks maybe months without food. Wait a sec; Chrysalis said reunite. Is that?

"CAZADOR!" Thorax yelled from his spot as he struggled profusely against is sticky bindings.

' _Shit_.' Was the first thing that came to mind as looked at the new pod below me.

The queen didn't kill Thorax's girlfriend, but she looked damn close. From what I could tell just by looking at it, that pod must be keeping Cazador alive, if only bearly. But the situation hasn't changed in my book; the only difference is that we have one more pony to save. Also, I was about to put the hurt on down on Chrysalis, and I wasn't abuot to be gentle about it.

"I was going to use you as an example to show the place of all the drones in the hive, under me!" Chrysalis then pinned Starlight to the ground next to Thorax while she stood over them.

"I decided what is best for my subjects mulling ****grub****!"

"Like you!"

Every set of eyes save one, in the room that wasn't in a pod went straight to me, that last pair couldn't see me because of the flying helmet that I chucked at her and impacting the Queen's muzzle. "You ain't no leader. What you are is a traitor to your own kind!" I roared at the Queen making everyone in the room look at me with mixed expressions of shock. "A true leader doesn't lead by fear, intimidation, and anger, who would sacrifice others to _saticfied_ for their own greed." I sneered at the changeling queen, before leveling out my Longshot and prepared to finish the bitch that caused so much pain to the ponies and changelings. Centering the crosshairs on Chrysalis face, ready to pull the trigger. "Starlight there understands this. A real leader leads from the front, listens to those under them, to represent the best of them, to show the once that follow they could put their trust in..

Now do us all a favor and die." Pulling the trigger and letting my shot flew out.

And missed the queens head.

Thou, the queen, did scream in pain as we all watch her blood spray out as her side, right at the base of one of her wings. "Damn it" I cursed. I pulled the trigger to quickly and jerked the shot. I saw the queens looked at me with rage filled eyes. " ** **Get her! Bring her to me!**** " Chrysalis screamed.

"Fuck.." I quickly threw the longshot down and swung my Lancers chainsaw to the first changeling guard that came close. Nothing but bits he was after. My forced scare tactics continued to work for me as those close to me were put back at the sight of a shredded changeling.

I didn't give them a chance to snap out of their stupor before I leveled my Lancer to the nearest changeling guard group. "Eat shit grubs!" I shouted at them before unleashed hell on them. I had no time for aiming at them one at a time, so spraying and praying for my shots to connect with their targets was my best bet. When my gun clicked empty, stopped to reload my Lancer as quickly as I could with my stubbed hooves could let me. Which wasn't quick enough as I was suddenly getting surrounded by guards, but I wasn't about to go down that easily, so I jumped. And tackled hard on the changeling guard below me and used him as a sled to slid down the wall onto the main floor. When coming to a stop, I successfully finished reloading my Lancer and shot the guard under me. I then aimed at the armored group that was following me down. They were firing green magic blasts at me in the hopes that I will go down quickly. Their magic bounced and scorched my armor, but none got through.

Emptying my Lancer for the second time, one changeling guard had a few brain cells to target my Lancer with his magic. I almost didn't see it coming when he at me came on my left but was to slow as his shot hit my weapon and flying off away to the side. With my weapon out of my hooves' another guard charge at me, probably thinking me as an easy capture without my gun.

I pulled my retro bayonet from its sheath from my chest plate and held it in a reverse hand grip style position and slashed across the guard's face before embedding it in his neck. The next one that came from behind him received a hoof to the with a right hook. Pulling her bayonet from the first guard, I jumped the second and stabbed him through the eye to his brain, killing him instantly.

Getting up and looking around I was surrounded by changeling guard. "This idea went a lot better in my head," I muttered before I spotted my Lancer a few feet away. Sticking my Bayonet between my teeth, I charged at the guard nearest my Lancer. I pushed him away in a desperate tackle before I made a mad dash for my lancer. With it, in hand/hoof, I pulled its handle, and the chainsaw revved up before killing the drone with its blades. Turning around, I saw Chrysalis looking at me rage with a hint of fear at the sight of me taking down her guards.

Some more guards actually used their brains started attacking me from a distance with more green blasts of magic. Two green bolts impacted my side making me stumble off balance. I knew my armor could stand up to the magic like before in the castle, but still, it knocked me back. I threw my weight around to another and thrash ball charged the next guard I saw. I put everything I had on my left shoulder into the changeling's jaw getting a heavy bone snapping sound from it.

This fight didn't even wind me yet; I felt so pumped up I could probably do this all day if I had the ammo. It was kind of nice to fight an enemy that-

"AAAHHHH!"

My whole right side felt like it was struck with a hot iron. Looking to my right, one guard had charged my blind spot and impaled his horn in between two of her armor plates. I found the eyes of the guard and locked with them with mine. Giving the bug a pained grin "My turn."

Against my better judgment, I grabbed the changelings head, tightened up my muscles and broke its horn between my armor plates. It flopped back on its ass as it grabbed its head screaming his head off. For me, I wanted to do the same thing. Instead, I lifted my Lancer again and began charging at the nearest changeling. Only for more searing pain to abrupt on my other side. Another changeling guard had done the same thing as the last and impaled me with his horn. I never felt so much pain before now and wanted to get rid of it fast. All soldiers were taught how to deal with pain, and now I was going past that. Pulling charging handle for my Lancer's chainsaw with adrenaline fueling my body tossed it to my right side and as quickly as I could sawed off the changelings head off his body, making it an accessory on my body before gravity tugged it off and landed on next to my leg. Looking up at my surroundings, I saw looks of disgusts on the closest changelings faces and looks of fear on others. I took my foreleg and unprofessionally kicked the severed head away to the nearest changeling. "Is that all you guys got? I ant dead yet!" I challenged.

"Who's next?!"

None moved, no one spoke as they just looked at me with mixed expressions. I was about to walk but could not find the energy to do so. I felt like I was losing more stragth the longer I kept standing but if I moved then, I'd fall and wouldn't get up.

' _Guess being stabbed twice would do that to ya._ ' I thought to myself. My body was feeling heavy as if my armor was now fifty pounds heavier on each of my legs. My vision also began to blur wasn't helping matters.

Suddenly, my world suddenly went up in a green light. The force that followed felt like my whole body was getting hit by a truck. I felt my body getting flung into the air and land hard against one of the walls. When my body hit the floor, I collapsed under my own weight, making me nearly pass out from the flaring pain at the sides. Even with all this armor on and the smell of burnt hair and flesh in the air, I was starting to feel cold. Trying to get my eyes to open was tough, but my eyelids made me feel like I was forcing up a pair of steel shutters from the way how heavy they felt. I was only vaguely seeing and hearing the big black shelled changeling queen in front of her.

"I will admit, pony. You are to be rewarded by your daring assassination attempt on me. And taking on so many of my guards by yourself and killing them with your pitiful toys was rather impressive and amusing. Never before had someone had gotten so close to killing me and wounding me as you did and within my hive for that matter. But like the rest, you still failed." The queen turned her back on the wounded Gear. I could see Starlight being held back by a pair of drones that were preventing her from running to me. My hearing felt slightly muffled but could hear Starlight shouting my name. Focusing again on the queen, Chrysalis made her way towards Thorax.

"Now then, let me show you ponies how we deal with traitors who betray the Hive!" The queen then launched Thorax into the air with her magic. The pleas from Starlight fell on deaf ears.

"Just as soon as I drain every ounce of love to heal my injuries and show my subjects what _real_ leader is," Chrysalis said. That last part getting directed at me. Chrysalis opened her maw and sucked in a visible pink mist coming out of Thorax's body. Thorax was starting to shake from energy being drained from him visibly.

"I could feel the love inside me slipping away. I can't hold onto it for much longer."

If I had heard someone say something like that a week ago I would have laughed at how stupid that sounded, and call them a drama queen. But this wasn't a laughing matter, and she was in too much pain to anything but bleed a pool of blood on the floor.

"Then, don't!" Starlight shouted, bring my focus to Starlight. "Shearing love is what made you different, to begin with, you should share yours with Chrysalis!" I then saw Starlight give Thorax the best shit-eating grin I've ever seen on a pony. "Give her all of it!"

Thorax curled up for a sec before unleashing what looked like to be a small Hammer of Dawn blast from his chest at the Queen sending Chrysalis flying back and landing on her throne putting several cracks in it from the impact. A ribbon of light then curled around Thorax, putting him in a cocoon of shining light. When the light stetted, I saw Starlight was free from the changelings and walking up to the pod. Starlight then began to poke it a bit before another light blinded her and revealed a new creature.

"Thorax?" I looked on in wonder. Gone was his black outer shell and blue eyes. There instead was mulita green fur and shell middle and violet-red colored eyes. His wings were a bright purple with a wing-like tail sticking out in like a tail. He also had three horns on his head, two of which looked more like a deer antlers more than anything. Starlight then proceeded to call out to the changelings. "This is what happens when you give love freely instead of taking it!"

One by one, I saw the changelings around her get cocoon in ribbons of light. Looking back at Chrysalis throne the cracks along were spreading faster and fas-"

BOOM!

The blast numb my senses. My vision was a blur, a ring took hold of my ears, and I felt numb all over. Blinking my eyes rapidly I saw an aqua blue shield was over me along with Starlight and the new Thorax by her side. I saw Starlight's horn was glowing, meaning that the throne destroyed and we were free to use magic again. Now their mission became a lot more easy to deal with. A warm feeling quickly spread over my body, looking up, I saw my purple-haired friend point her magic horn at my injuries.

"I'm not very versed in medicine or medical magic, but this should help seal your wound's till we get you to a hospital with proper medical care. As to how you're not passed out from shock from just having a changeling horn inside your body, I'll never know." Starlight assured her. I didn't care about that. Some of the pain had dulled over to a more manageable tolerance, and it felt like I wasn't going be bleeding anymore. Looking up I caught her friend staring at me with a worried look; I smiled at her to show that I was okay.

"Help me up.." Putting my leg under me, I pushed myself with the support of both Starlight and Thorax into a sitting position.

"You need to rest. You just finished a major fight."

"I'll be fine. Just need to stay awake and not overtax myself, promise. I'm pretty much done for the day."

Scanning the area she saw all of the changelings at changed just like Thorax. Abet they didn't have antlers like him, some didn't even have horns. They were all colorful like ponies and were all smiling at their new appearances.

Looking around I soon saw the ponies they had held captive were at. "Starlight look!" I pointed with a leg. Turning her head as to where I was pointing, she saw the others and became excited. Starlight dragged me to the side and sat me next to one of the few remaining walls. "Stay here; I'll be back with Twilight and Discord. Maybe they can fix you up better than I can." I motioned her with a 'Go right ahead' gesture, and off she went. Then my attention went to Thorax.

"Shouldn't you have someone you need to help out," I said as I point at the pod containing a thin changeling inside. His eyes widen in realization as his magic grabs hold of the pod before it cracking it open, revealing the goo-covered changeling. Bringing her over, Thorax laid Cazador down next me and began feeding magic into her. When the spell hit her, Cazador's eyes opened at the energy being supplied into her system, showing a softer cyan color eye set than the usual blue. Cazador blinked a few times as she looked at me, I decided to strike up a conversation, "Hey, you don't look so good."

Cazador blinked a few more times before looking me over, "Look who's talking, you try fighting the queens royal guard and see how long you last."

"I did fight Chrysalis guard. That's how I end up like this."

"Oh, well you look good. Love the armor by the way."

"Thanks, it was a gift. Names Abigail." I introduced.

"Cazador."

"I know.'

"You do?" She said looking confused.

"Thorax told me about you," I told her. Which Cazador became frantic and started to rapid-fire questions at me.

"Thorax! He's alive?! He made it to the ponies, did he make friends and-" I stopped her by placing a hoof to the changeling's shoulder.

"Why don't you ask him your self," I said as I jerked my head up. Cazador gazed up to look at the new Thorax that stood above her. Her eyes widen at his new form; then tears started to form up in both their eyes. It was Cazador that spoke first of the two.

"Thorax? Is that really you?" She whispered.

"It's me, my love."

"You, what happened to you?" Cazador asked as she took in Thorax's new form.

"I learned to give love freely, to share instead of taking it. Now I no longer need to feed off of others just like all the other changelings. Now please Cazador pay attention. Focus on my love for you and let it flow freely through you and into others. Be free of restrictions that we have been chained down with and truly live." He instructed before he took a few steps back. Cazador's eyes blinked a few times before closing them. Soon a ribbon of light covered her body before she floated up a foot above the ground. A moment later she was changed like the rest, only more so than the others.

I was shocked at what Cazador became. Her black shell was now silver; her single horn had tripled in length. She now had a mane like a pony, and long natural dark cyan blue hair flowed down. Looking over at Thorax, I saw his eyes getting wider by second as he looked at her in awe. "Cazador?"

Cazador opened her eye's; they revealed a crystal blue silted eyes similar to Chrysalis. The two then closed the distance, and I got an eye full changeling romance.

Right there I decided that it was time I had enough of all this drama and rested my back against the hard surface and allowed my muscles to relax, damn I feel like crap. Felt so drained like I just got done marching all day and night and fought a troublesome ten-hour firefight at the end of it followed by another day marching.

With a small headache, charred skin, two stab wounds and the workout from hell. Overall this was fun. Not even a week in a new world as a different species she couldn't get rapt up on some crazy journey. Sure I'd made some friends, fought some shapeshifting grubs and help save the day. Also got Thorax his girlfriend back and by the looks of things, things may start to get interesting here in a little bit. All that's left now is for me was to how and break the news to Twilight that her home looks like a war zone, dead bodies, shell casings and what not. Starting to feel sorry for the guy that gets to do that. _he he_

Looking to were Starlight was, I saw her trying to catch Twilight and them up on current events. A tall midnight blue Alicorn looked to be thanking. Starlight thou was interrupted when a big pile of rubble started to catch everyone's attention. A moment later, Chrysalis pops out like a daisy looking beat up and bloody, hissing and snarling at everyone, preparing to attack again.

"Oh my god, are kidding me?! How the hell did she shrug off that?!" I shouted to no one, annoyed that the queen survived to what felt like an extra strength demo changed going off under her ass.

Chrysalis now seemed to notice how outnumbered and outgunned she was. All the ponies, Discord along with the new colored Changelings stood together behind Starlight, like soldiers following their commander into battle. ' _All I need now is a camera, that be one for the history books. Not bad for someone who's still wet behind the ears._ ' My ears perked up when Starlight confronted Chrysalis again.

"When Twilight and her friends defeated me I chose to run away and seek revenge. You don't have to; you can be the leader your subjects deserve." Starlight then brought a hoof to the queen to help her up.

I was shocked. Like someone threw a concussion grenade at me. Starlight was willing to risk life and limb to save her friends from that very being that was laid out in front of her. Now Starlight was showing the down Queen forgiveness for everything she brought upon them and to help atone for her past mistakes for something. I wondered if I could do the same thing to a down enemy? A stranded maybe but a Locust? Never, too much bad blood towards them to be anything but death. That's probably why I been feeling towards Starlight, the way she handles things.

The Queen looked down at the offered hoof provided by Starlight then back up to her face. Abby watched as Chrysalis lifted  
a hoof only to slap it aside like she was being offended. ' _Well, she tried._ '

"There is no revenge that you could ever conceive of that would even come close to what I will exact on you upon you one day! _Starlight Glimmer!_ "

Chrysalis jumps then jumps into the air to fly away only for her to lose control after a few flaps. "Guess my shot from earlier wasn't so bad after all," I said as I watched the coming spectacle.

We all watch the bug queen try to control herself with only one working wing. After a few moments trying to center herself a strong gust blew her off course sending to a hard crash into the wall I was leaning against and slide to the ground next to me. I couldn't help but laugh at the pathetic and comical escape attempt. "Nice job _your magisty_. An 'A,' for the takeoff, 'D' for the arrival performance and an 'F' the landing." I joked at the angry queen who then looked back at the wounded Gear.

" _YOU..._ "

"Me?"

The queen launched herself at me with rage-filled eyes before I could react. Tackling me that sent both of us into a short tumble till Chrysalis was on top with a leg around my neck. I then was picked up facing everyone and while being dragged backward by Chrysalis. I could hear my name being called by those that knew me. The pain I felt earlier was back again after that little tumble reopened the hole in my side again letting my blood run freely down my body. Opening up my eyes I saw all degrees of worry on the ponies and changeling. Only one of them meant anything to me though, looking at Starlight, our eyes locked onto one another. Panic and fear had dominated them pretty eyes she got.

"Anypony so much as attempt to do anything to save this worthless mare and I'll snap her neck!" The queen threatened.

The effect was instant all the ones with horns stopped glowing, and the wing ponies landed beside the others. I ignored the queen while she continued to make threats to the ponies, I had other things in mind. My eyes were still on her friends as if they were silent messages with their minds. I could tell that Starlight didn't have a plan and I was running over everything she could do on what borrowed time I had left before I bleed out. I didn't know where my Lancer went after it got tossed during the fight. The longshot wouldn't help me in this situation as that was also missing. Glancing over at Trixie revealed to me that her Snub pistol was also MIA. ' _My bayonet is also gone. Come on Sargent, think!_ ' I was slowly being dragged back as the queen took steps backward away from the others. The bug leg that held me was beginning to get tighter as they backtracked away from everyone. I needed to think of something quick, or I would black out soon. The only things that could count as a weapon was the horn still embedded in my right side, and the smoke grenade in my webbing. Wait a sec, my smoke grenade! I still had it, feeling around in my pouch. A stupid idea popped up came to mind. It was crazy that she would admit, but I wasn't going to do nothing, what do I get to lose right now?

Locking eyes with Starlight once more I gave my friend a one-sided cheeky grin before pulling out the last smoke grenade in my possession. Starlight's eyes drifted down to what she was holding then back up to her with her eyes showing a hint of confusion. I gave her a wink before breaking eye contact and pretending not to notice the scared look in my friend's eyes. Seeing herself under Chrysalis chin, I proceeded to begin step one of her plan.

"Hey?" I said catching the queens attention. "If you're going to kill me, at least own up to it and look me in the eye before you do it." I told the fallen queen. Shouts of dismay and objection were heard but ignored as I dared the queen.

Chrysalis looked a bit taken back at her request. "Who are you to demand such as this to me?" Hissed the former changeling queen. Chrysalis eyes were glaring into the prideful eyes of the Onyx guards, getting a small giggled.

"Who am I, you say? That's easy. A soldier of the COG, an Onyx Guard and a Gear for its rotating war machine!" I said into Chrysalis's face. "I've faced and killed more bad guys and monsters then this world will never know. I've lost more things in this life then anyone has the right to lose!" My voice suddenly raised, slowly starting to scream like a crazy person at this point. "I have witness atrocities that should never have been committed!" I had gathered all the pent-up hatred and anger and put it all into a stare, making the queen flinch away. "I who have walked the burning fields of hundreds of battlefields, stood in the ashes of _millions_ of the dead that scattered my home!" Now my voice had risen to the point where I could be mistaken for a madwoman. The queen opened her mouth to try speaking again, but her voice was starting to shake under my glare.

"You think-"

" **I. AM. TALKING!** "

I roared at Chrysalis, making the grub lose her grip on me and back away only to stop when my armor hoof caught ahold of her dark aqua hair. "You asked who I am? I'll tell you just who the hell I am?!"

Chrysalis let out a yelp of pain as her head was brought down to my eye level, with eyes ablaze with anger and sorrow that I been collecting for over a decade. "I am Sargent Abigail Terrell of the Coalition!" I primed my grenade for use. "And you will remember me when death comes and claims your soul." I then surprised the queen when I opened her mouth and shoved the grenade into it and held it there as she started choking.

"You will tell him I sent you and you will remember me!" I screamed into the grub queens face as she tried to back away. A duo of beeps could be heard if anyone paid attention.

The sight of my enemy's eyes was filled with shock and fear. The grenade detonated with a gush of smoke inside Chrysalis maw. Her cheeks filled puff out as the smoke filled her mouth, she started coughing up white smoke as she watches it quickly fill the queen lungs and jets of smoke flew out her nose and mouth. It came out so fast that it that my vision became white within seconds. The sound of Starlight and the others calling out my name again made me smile.

It felt good to have people that care for me again, even if it was for a little while. Darkness was creeping up on her vision as it burned from the smoke and holding her own breath wasn't helping her any better. The sound of the smoke stopping told it to me grenade was finished and with it Chrysalis, I had stopped struggling against her hold. The wind from the high altitudes we were in had blown away the smoke and saw the queen still as water before falling backward, and over the edge of her former hive. I watched Chrysalis disappear into the ground below, and that was the end of that.

"You tell him that..."

Darkness had threatened my sight as I began to sway with the wind, a big blue sky now filled my vision as I fell back. By this point the pain I had been feeling had gone away, replaced with a cold sensation all throughout her body. A pair of hooves then stopped my body, the panicking faces of her friend Starlight and that of the real Princess Twilight filled my what was left of my darkened vision. Even if I felt cold all over, the thought of being alone at my last moments somehow scared me, seeing how I wasn't made me smile despite everything I went through.

Another face came into view one that she hasn't seen in years. Familiar copper red hair and emerald eyes stood over her on two legs, a kind smile that told her that everything would be alright. And she wasn't alone anymore.


End file.
